My father said the events unfolded so fast that the vehicle was hanging by the cliff and hit the tree before he could even touch the brake pedal.

BHPian Rasmo3689 recently shared this with other enthusiasts:

Wishing all a Happy and Safe New Year. 2024 was very unfortunate for us. Hope 2025 would be better.

The location of both these accidents is Almora-Pithoragarh Road, Uttarakhand. For those who do not know, this is a narrow, steep road post Nainital.

All these pictures are from April 2024 and September 2024.

First accident

The Brown Duster was being driven by my father; he is a very sedate driver. The speed at impact was 48kmph as per the GPS device.

As my father recounts the event, there was a small laptop bag that my father keeps on the second row secured to the seatbelt but this time, he just kept it on the front left seat, on a tight left corner, he steered the vehicle left, at the same time the bag moved towards the right, my father for a second tried to put the bag back in its position and the accident happened.

He said the events unfolded so fast that the car was hanging by the cliff and hit the tree before he could even touch the brake pedal.

I REQUEST ALL THE PEOPLE NOT TO KEEP ANY FLYING PROJECTILES, these things do make a difference.

Second accident

The second instance was on 28 September, 2024. I was on my way back to Delhi from my home, barely 60 kms away from my home. An ITBP truck, a Tata 1613SE, when he decided to take a right turn (the truck's perspective) as if he was driving in a left-hand drive country.

This accident happened at about 30kmph, please note that this was one of the widest sections of this road and there was plenty of space for the truck to pass, I have been driving our own Tata 1212 on this route with even 15 tonnes of load during the rains, sand gets heavier due to water.

Result: The ITBP driver accepted his fault and I did not make any claim given these guys work hard for this country and the damage to my vehicle was mostly cosmetic, the car was still driveable and did complete the trip to Delhi in same condition, except for the bent steel spare that I was using that day.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

On the way back from Kukke Subramanya in the Renault Duster, I made the mistake of taking the Bisle Ghat road over the Subramanya - Gundya - Hassan road.

BHPian Tharle Subba recently shared this with other enthusiasts:

Travelled to Dharmasthala and Kukke Subramanya a couple of weeks ago in my Duster with family.

• Departure - 6:30 a.m.
• Arrival - 12:15 p.m.
• Route taken - Bangalore - Kunigal - Hassan - Sakleshpur - Gundya - Dharmasthala
• Journey time 5:45 hours including an hour for breakfast

Route conditions

A lot has been said about the roads on this stretch, so sharing my 2 cents as well. The Bangalore - Hassan has excellent roads, only problem area being the entry to Hassan, which is currently under works. From Hassan to Sakleshpur, the roads are decent. Post Sakleshpur, the horrendous roads accompany you for a few kilometers. From there on till Gundya, the journey is a breeze. The roads further up from Gundya till Dharmasthala are good too.

Toll:

• NICE Road - INR 215
• Nelamangala - INR 55
• Bellur - INR 55
• Kadabhalli (Kirisave) - INR 55
• Shantigrama - INR 45

After the darshan of Manjunatha Swamy, halted for the night to explore some other temples close by.

We resumed our return leg the next morning with the itinerary covering visits to Southadka and Kukke Subramanya before heading home.

• Departure - 7 a.m.
• Arrival - 7:30 p.m.
• Route taken - Dharmasthala - Southadka - Kukke Subramanya - Bisle View Point - Hassan - Kunigal - Bangalore
• Journey time - 12:30 hours, including multiple stops

Route conditions

On the way back from Kukke Subramanya, made the mistake of taking the Bisle Ghat road over the Subramanya - Gundya - Hassan road. The Bisle route is terrible, with lots of potholes and surface laced with sharp stones. While the route does allow for scenic views, the bad roads are not worth the effort. I would recommend skipping this road if you are traveling from Subramanya to Bangalore. Once we reached the Hassan leg of NH 75, we were greeted by the chaotic Sunday traffic headed towards Bangalore. After jostling and crawling through tens of kilometers of traffic, reached home exhausted.

Toll

• Shantigrama - INR 45
• Bellur - INR 45
• Nelamangala - INR 55

Stats for the nerds

• Travel time for the roundtrip - 18 hours
• Distance covered - 790 km
• Fuel consumption - 60 litres
• Total toll - INR 570

Happy driving!

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

It was raining heavily and an overspeeding Renault Duster hit my friend's Maruti Brezza which swerved and fell into a ditch upside down.

BHPian Centodieci recently shared this with other enthusiasts:

Hi,

This unfortunate incident happened to my friend a week back while he was returning from a family outing. He was travelling with his full family in a 2021 Maruti Vitara Brezza AT and it was raining heavily on the highway due to which visibility was limited.

Suddenly an overspeeding Duster tried to cut from his left and due to lack of judgement hit the Vitara on the left hindquarters. Vitara immediately swerved horizontally 3-4 times and fell into a ditch at the side of the road after turning upside down. Thankfully, due to the fantastic build quality of Brezza and oodles of good luck, the whole family escaped unhurt other than a few minor scratches.

The speed of Duster was around 110 kmph as admitted by the owner in the Police station whereas Vitara was being driven at normal speed. As of now, the vehicle has been released from the Police station and insurance formalities have started for getting the Vehicle declared as a total loss. We wanted to have a few doubts cleared from the learned members here if they faced something similar in past:

• The airbags of Vitara did not open up in the accident although the occupants were buckled up. I understand that the vehicle was hit from the left but shouldn't the airbags be deployed when the vehicle fell in the ditch? We have mailed Maruti regarding this but no reply received till now.
• Workshop mentioned that IDV would be paid after the deduction of the GST amount from the IDV value. Is it a standard practice or are they trying to fleece us?
• Insurance mentioned about Salvage but that will be paid as part of total IDV settlement and not on top of that.
• The workshop will be charging parking at 300/day although they have kept the car on the main road covered with transparent plastic. Is it a standard amount to be charged and will insurance cover this?

I am attaching some pictures to clarify the magnitude of the accident. Please help us in getting some insights on these points and also any dos/don'ts while dealing with insurance in these scenarios as this is the first time we are dealing with anything like this.

Here's what BHPian Turbanator had to say about the matter:

• Workshop mentioned that IDV will be paid after the deduction of the GST amount from the IDV value -  That's a new thing or perhaps your friend is not able to understand. What has GST got to do with anything? Better post your query in the Insurance thread with more details. Like what is IDV amount and what % of GST is being asked? Technically, the car should become the property of the Insurance company in such cases and they will pay you IDV value or whatever is decided. This can come as a single payment or one from Insurance and the other from salvage buyers. your friend can also bid and buy the car back in such cases and get it repaired.
• Insurance mentioned about Salvage but that will be paid as part of the total IDV settlement and not on top of that -  Yes, that's correct.
• The workshop will be charging parking at 300/day although they have kept the car on the main road covered with transparent plastic -  Yes, because they may not earn anything from all this. So usually, they will charge you for preparing the estimate and also you may incur such charges. Maybe if you are buying a new car from them, they can waive or ask the insurance company if you can move the car to your home or any other location where you can park this instead.
• Is it a standard amount to be charged and will insurance cover this? -  Most likely - NO.

Here's what BHPian ex-innova-guy had to say about the matter:

• Workshop mentioned that IDV will be paid after the deduction of the GST amount from the IDV value -   GST for what? They are liable to pay the whole IDV. It can come in instalments, i.e., a check or DD by the salvage buyer and the remaining balance by the Insurance Co.
• Insurance mentioned about Salvage but that will be paid as part of the total IDV settlement and not on top of that -   As mentioned by Turbanator, that is correct.
• The workshop will be charging parking at 300/day although they have kept the car on the main road covered with transparent plastic. Is it a standard amount to be charged and will insurance cover this? -  No, insurance doesn’t cover this. Glad they are upfront about this. My repair estimate was ~ ₹15L and they were charging 1% of the Repair Estimate in addition to parking charges. My car was parked for almost 20 days inside the dealership premises. Eventually, since we had a longstanding relationship with the dealership, they settled for ₹5000.
• The airbags of Vitara did not open up in the accident although the occupants were buckled up. I understand that the vehicle was hit from the left but shouldn't the airbags be deployed when the vehicle fell in the ditch? -  In April, an acquaintance had a similar accident in the Toyota Urban Cruiser (same car). He slept at the wheel, and the car veered into a ditch late at night. Thankfully he was belted, and airbags did deploy. He came out unscathed because of the same. In his case, they were pushing for a total loss but eventually, it is getting repaired and still is in the service centre.

Here's what BHPian speed79 had to say about the matter:

Sorry for the loss of the car. Good to know that your friend and family are safe.

I had a recent experience of a total loss of my car in an accident. As mentioned by other members, your friend will get full IDV (minus the necessary deductible of 2k) jointly from the scrap buyer and insurance. There would not be any GST deduction.

If your friend has a place to park the car, he can shift the car there after the car has been accepted for total loss, to avoid paying unnecessary parking charges. You will need to get the car deregistered before the scrap buyer takes it away. The process of deregistration might take more than a month.

Your friend can get the road tax refunded. That will be over and above the IDV amount that he would receive and would be about 70-75 percent of the road tax paid for the 2021 car.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

I paid a fine of Rs 10,000. I also paid the scrapping agency where my Renault Duster was taken to, Rs 2,500 for towing and a parking charge of Rs 6,400.

BHPian rdhawan15 recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Gods, finally, smiled.

I got my seized Renault Duster diesel (Sandy) released from the Nirvana Scrappers scrapyard in Baghpat.

How did I get it back?

• On Friday, I met Senior officers of the MCD and the Delhi Transport Department. The MCD Administrative Officer in the SDMC office was very helpful. He gave me a patient hearing to understand the issue in full detail. My affidavit was accepted. I paid the fine of Rs. 10,000. And, the 'Release order' was generated within 15 minutes.
• The Delhi Transport Department officer assured me that I could apply for the NOC later. There is no bar on it. He was very cooperative and explained the entire rationale of having the NOC in the case of transfers outside Delhi.
• The Nirvana Scrappers team charged their fee. I paid them Rs. 2500 for towing (mandated by the Hon'ble Delhi High Court) and a parking charge of Rs. 6400/-. I was instructed to visit the scrapyard on Saturday to get the car.
• On Saturday, I visited the scrapyard with my brother. The Nirvana Scrappers team helped me retrieve the car. The entire process took around 30 minutes. The car was kept well. There were no visible dent marks. The battery, chassis, and tyres were intact and in proper condition. I would like to thank the Nirvana team for taking good care of the vehicle.

Lessons learned:

• Get your petrol or diesel vehicle out of your Delhi residence before the registration expires. There is no chance you can keep your vehicle unless you have a private parking space. I suggest completing the transfers at least 6 months ahead of the registration expiration.
• Apply for the NOC well ahead of time. The NOC application is the Form 28 application. You need to fill it out online. For the NOC application to be accepted, you need to provide the registration certificate of your vehicle and the Aadhar card details of the transferee located outside Delhi.
• Once you get the NOC, you have 30 days to transfer the vehicle to the transferee outside Delhi.

Mandatory thanks

I am full of gratitude for the Gods who ensured I got my vehicle back (emotional connect).

And, I would like to thank all of you for sharing your valuable insights and offering support, when I needed it the most. I am extremely grateful for the legal assistance offered by many established advocates based in Delhi.

A special word of 'Thanks' to GTO. The coffee is on me.

And, finally, India is a wonderful country and Indians are very helpful. This comes from me after having seen the entire exercise from start to finish in the past 14 days. I have received assistance when I least expected it. And, from people whom I did not know.

Suggestions for the scrapping policy

I am too small a person to offer any suggestions or advice to the Delhi Government or the Municipal Corporation of Delhi. Both have very capable officers and policymakers.

Having met so many affected people on the ground, it is my humble request that the Delhi Government considers the following:

• Rather than seizing the vehicles and sending them over to Baghpat, it may be a good idea to issue a seizure notice to the vehicle owner. Just paste the notice on the vehicle windscreen or rear screen. Give the vehicle owner 4-6 weeks to remove the vehicle or face scrapping. This will also save time and energy spent in towing and transporting the vehicles to the scrapyard. The case in point is of a very humble person whose motorcycle of 15 years 1 day was picked up and sent for scrapping. The guy had tears in his eyes and regretted that he could not send the motorcycle in time to his little brother in Bihar. We need to have empathy for everyone.
• Please help set up an online platform to facilitate the handling of affidavits. The MCD department is so swamped with work that it becomes tedious for the affidavits to be accepted, scrutinized, and processed by the MCD team. My thoughts are with the MCD team for the extreme pressure they find themselves under. Trust me, people on the ground are not against the NGT order. All want Delhi air to be cleaner.
• The parking fee for the vehicles does seem a bit steep to me. Maybe, the Government of Delhi could consider the request of the common people of Delhi and reduce it to make it more affordable. This will also ensure a good gesture for the people of Delhi.
• Please provide more clarity on the various discounts on new vehicle purchases if the vehicle is scrapped on behalf of the Delhi Transport Department.

On a final note, I have no hard feelings for anyone. I am glad it turned out well.

I seek your suggestions in waiting for either:

• Converting the Duster into electric mode (I know it is difficult) or
• Send it over to my wife's cousin in Ludhiana

Once again, thank you to the seen and unseen forces that made this project possible.

Here's what BHPian tbppjpr had to say about the matter:

Glad that you got your car back.

Although electric conversion is a good idea, I am more interested in knowing if converting into petrol allows the vehicle to get registered for the next 5 more years. There is also a possibility of converting a petrol vehicle into CNG which is another advantage if that extends the registration period further.

Here's what BHPian autobahnjpr had to say about the matter:

Congratulations! Now I suggest choosing option 2 and taking the Duster out of NCR and being done and dusted with it. As a substitute, you can either go for a new car or a good second-hand one. There may be right or wrong about any policy but we should be able to accept it and then act accordingly. Like many, I too wish the 10-year-old diesel vehicle policy would be relooked at and withdrawn.

Here's what BHPian LiveLife had to say about the matter:

Congrats Bro!

Suggest you go with option 2.

Incidentally, I also sent my car to Ludhiana.

If you do decide to go with Option 2, some considerations:

• Do hire the services of an agent
• The Ludhiana RTO is now split into two zones, thus the numbers may vary i.e., PB10 and a new zone with PB30/31 (I think)
• The original RTO (PB10) seems to be choked and is taking very long to complete the process and issue new numbers
• The NoC is valid for six months from the date of issue

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

This happened in less than 36 hours since the registration of my Renault Duster diesel expired. I was given no prior notice.

BHPian rdhawan15 recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Dear Team-BHPians,

I need a bit of help. This is a long thread.

But, any assistance on this thread will help other Delhi vehicle owners in knowing more about the End of Life Vehicles (ELV) and the policy of the Transport Department of Delhi (updated in February 2024).

Problem Statement

My Renault Duster Diesel 85 PS RXL was registered in Delhi. On 28 March 2024, its registration expired as it completed 10 years.

29 March was Good Friday and a holiday.

On 30.03.24, at 1007 hours, MCD issued a seizure memo and impounded the vehicle from the ramp (deemed public space) outside my residence. That is less than 36 hours from the expiry of registration of the vehicle.

No notice was issued. The seizure memo carried the address of the 'Nirvana Scrapers', a scrapping agency with a yard in Bagpat, Uttar Pradesh.

The seizure memo reported an incorrect location as well. I have CCTV proof of the entire lifting exercise.

Also, the MCD inspector took away the keys from me. I was too traumatized to react or resist.

I went to the scrapper, and they said that I have 21 days under the new Government of Delhi policy to either:

• Seek NOC and transfer the vehicle outside Delhi
• Provide an undertaking that I will park the vehicle in a private parking space

I visited the MCD office thrice. I visited the Transport office at Wazirpur and Civil Lines as well.

I got the legal affidavit prepared as per the instructions of the Delhi High Court judgment. As per the affidavit, I assured that I would park the vehicle in a private parking space in my residence. I also promised not to ply the vehicle in Delhi anymore.

However, I am unable to submit the application to the MCD office or the Delhi Transport Department office for the Wazirpur authority.

The Transport Department sends me to the MCD office. The MCD office sends me back to the Transport Department.

The revised policy for ELV scrapping mentions that an online platform will be set up to accept applications from the ELV owners. However, I am not able to find any such online platform.

In the meantime, I have lodged an online complaint with the MCD and sought their help in progressing the process.

About the vehicle

There are strong sentiments attached to the vehicle. This Duster is driven for less than 47000 Kms in 10 years, and fully maintained at the Renault service outlets in Delhi. I just wanted to keep it for sweet memories.

Why do I not want to scrap it?

• The first reason is the emotional attachment and a bit of history connected with this car.
• Secondly, I have no clarity about the discounts offered by the Delhi Government for new cars if I were to scrap it.
• It does not make any monetary sense to scrap the vehicle.

The scrapper said he would pay at the value of Rs. 19 per kg for the kerb weight stated on the Registration certificate of the car. He further said that I will need to pay:

• Rs. 400 for driving charges
• Rs. 500 per day for parking at the scrapping yard

So, practically speaking, whatever I will get as scrap value will end up getting wiped out in the invoice raised by the scrapper.

• I believe it makes sense to gift or give this vehicle or an ELV to one of my close friends or relatives who may be outside Delhi.
• I know that my Renault Duster could easily last for the remaining 5 years, for which I have paid full road tax. It has been maintained at authorized Renault service stations and has had a 50% NCB (No-claim bonus) from the Insurer.

About the ELV scrapping policy of Delhi

I have 21 days to apply for release of the impounded vehicle. This means I need to apply before 19th April 2024.

But, the issue is that I am unaware of any such platform to apply for the release of the vehicle through an online application. I have come across so many people whose cars have been impounded. Nobody has a clue about what could be done.

Does anyone know of the online platform setup by the Delhi Government to facilitate the release of the ELV vehicles?

Also, the revised policy for ELV scrapping suggests that ELV owners are entitled to discounts on new car purchases.

Unfortunately, nobody is aware of the exact discount. Some people mention about discounts on GST while others emphasize discounts on the road tax payments for the new car. I could not find a clear description or details of the scrapping benefits available for new purchases.

The seizure memo, however, does not list any such discounts.

Enforcement Drive

It seems that Delhi is witnessing an Enforcement Drive to pick up End of Life (ELV) vehicles. I am fine with it as it strives to improve air quality in Delhi.

However, I would like to know:

• How to apply for an NOC when the car is not in our possession and the NOC form requires pencil inscription of the chassis number
• Where to apply to get a release order for the ELV vehicle that has been impounded by the MCD on behalf of the Transport Department of the Delhi Government
• Why are the vehicles being sent over to Bagpat, Uttar Pradesh without de-registration?
• What happens to the road tax paid for 15 years?
• Why is the current Enforcement Drive in direct conflict with the Delhi High Court's guidelines for handling ELVs in Delhi vide the order dated 22.08.23?

What do I want?

• To be honest, more clarity about the ELV scrapping policy (February 2024) of Delhi and the application process.
• I have already prepared a signed undertaking stating that I will not ply the vehicle in Delhi. In any case, if the vehicle gets impounded again, it will be sent to the scrapping yard without any recourse to any legal assistance.
• I am willing to pay the fine laid down by the MCD of Rs. 10,000/- and the towing charges prescribed by the MCD.
• I am willing to tow the vehicle back from Bagpat to Delhi at my expense to ensure that it does not ply on the roads in Delhi and gets parked at my private parking.
• I need more clarity on the discounts that I could get from the Delhi government for new vehicle purchases.
• I believe the seizure memo should offer more details about the process through which the car owners can get the vehicles released after complying with the legal requirements of offering a signed undertaking.

I have nothing against the Delhi Government, the MCD, or the scrappers. All of them are working towards implementing the NGT order to make Delhi air cleaner.

All I want is clarity and adherence to the process laid down by the Hon'ble Delhi High Court vide its order (dated 22.08.23 in the case between Sushma Prasad and the State of Delhi (W.P.(C) 10749/2023).

If we had more clarity, perhaps, we could have sent the car to a cousin well ahead of the registration expiry.

And, even if I made a mistake, should I not get an opportunity to send the vehicle to a friend in Rajasthan?

Legal assistance

I have been asked by my friends to file a writ petition in the Delhi High Court to bring the matter in cognizance of the Delhi High Court.

However, that is an expensive process.

For a 10-year-old vehicle, it does not make sense to pay so much in legal fees. I have been quoted lawyer fees between 50,000-150,000. And, the case has not even started.

The last thing I want is to end up spending more money and lose the vehicle as well.

This is essential for a public cause. If some noble soul wants to take it forward, I will offer whatever assistance (non-monetary) from my side.

Motive of this thread

I may lose my Duster. I will have to buy a new vehicle. But, the important point is that there are so many people in Delhi who may be in my position.

People have no clue about the scrapping policy or the enforcement drives.

Please spare a thought about the ELV owners and help them remediate the situation by allowing them an opportunity to send the vehicles to relatives or extended family members in other states.

Why should scrapping of vehicles be encouraged when these could be sent to other States for charity causes or other family members or the extended family?

Annexures:

• The new ELV policy of the Delhi Government dated 20.02.24
• The Delhi High Court order passed by Hon'ble Justice Mr. Prateek Jalan. The said order was passed on 22 August 2023.

The latest ELV policy of the Transport Department of Delhi incorporates the Delhi High Court order guidelines.

My gratitude to you for having made it this far. Thanks a lot for sparing your time to read about this issue. I seek the valuable guidance of the community at Team-BHP.

I hope this thread can save some people's cars that may be approaching the expiry of registration. I suggest sending them over outside Delhi well ahead of time.

If this could help a single family in transferring the car or scooter to a State outside Delhi, I would sleep happily.

Here's what GTO had to say about the matter:

Don't mean to point a finger here, but it's generally not recommended to leave such things for the last minute (or beyond).

• If you wanted to retain the car in a private space, you should have cancelled its registration formally and moved it off the road.
• If you wanted to pass the car on to a friend outside Delhi-NCR, you should have gotten the NOC and shipped the car out of Delhi-NCR well in advance.

Your 10-year-old diesel car with an expired registration was on public property / roads. The authorities were well within their rights to tow your vehicle away.

Here's what BHPian batish had to say about the matter:

For the same cause, a lawyer named Mukesh Kulthia is fighting a legal battle in Gurugram District Court. He has filed a case against the MCD commissioner along with scrapping agencies alleging they are in cahoots with the authorities.

I'd suggest to get in touch with him once. In this matter, he is the only lawyer I am aware of on social media whose case has not been thrown out of the court.

Disclaimer: I have no relation with the said person. Haven't seen him or met him. Doesn't even know if the cause he's supporting is real or just for news but still since you're in a tough spot. Have a word, you'll have a little bit more clarity.

Got to know about the cases he filed through social media. If you google 'carbandi scam' you'll find him.

Here's what BHPian Shreyans_Jain had to say about the matter:

There are no benefits or discounts to be had on new cars upon scrapping your old car. The ELV policy benefits exist only in the proposal files and media PR bytes, not in reality. I couldn’t eke out a rupee’s worth of benefit from the scrapping certificate of my old Scorpio, even on buying an EV. Tried with multiple dealerships of different brands in Delhi, Faridabad, Gurgaon as well as Noida.

There is no scenario in which you can keep your car unless it is kept permanently parked inside your driveway, which is a sheer waste of super expensive real estate.

Rs 19 per kg is too low, and the terms are ridiculous. There are multiple scrapping yards around Delhi, try another place.

You paid road tax for 15 years, yet you get to use your car for 10 years. It’s just another instance of the powers screwing the common man. Make your peace with it, nothing can be done.

Here's what BHPian mayankk had to say about the matter:

Alongside reclaiming your car, you should also pursue a claim for the Tax owed to you logically, if the option is that the car is scrapped. I don't know why people aren't arguing against this fact.

I read that the NGT order has now been taken up as far as Panipat. Let's see them implement this across Haryana and UP, and try to seize the local white SUVs. It will all unravel in a hurry.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

I and my wife have been spoiled by the Duster and we never really warmed up to the 300. But the 3XO is probably one of the most comfortable compact SUVs I've driven.

BHPian Evyas recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Visited the showroom again for a TD this time. Seems the AX5 variant with MT on display has now been turned into a test drive vehicle. But thanks to that saw the new deep blue coloured version which is now the display vehicle.

It is quite eye-catching to be sure. The paint quality and fit and finish are very good.

And as someone who has always liked the looks of the facelift, the dark colour made is more luxurious looking in my eyes. Another aspect that I could finally articulate is that is has a certain 'muscle car' vibe - maybe because of the bonnet creases and lines, or the almost 'snout' like length of it compared to the car. The older 300 has a more 'docile' look if I may say so. This one looks more eager to jump!

And now to the TD

Took it over their designated route, but since I've been doing this for a while with all their models, told the SA I would want to take a slightly more circuitous route, since my primary run will be in the cratered roads of Mumbai and I wanted to test the suspension and the ride quality. Having driven the old XUV300, there was a stiffness to it, potholes used to filter into the cabin at low speeds (maybe also because of the TPMS not working in the hire car I had, and the old TD 300s being overinflated as most showrooms do) So while the ride quality was acceptable, I and my wife have been spoiled by the Duster and we never really warmed up to the 300.

I was driving the petrol AX5 - but MT, which I actually love. Never been able to like an AT other than - strangely - the one in the Jimny (!) so no issues with that. It wasn't peak traffic but it was traffic alright. The gear box was absolutely smooth, the throws perfect, slotting was sure and precise. Clutch was light and easy and once I got the hang of it, the engine was good enough for me, despite being the lower power output unit.

But. The. Ride. Quality

I don't know what these guys have done but it is outstanding. They've softened it for sure, but that sideways movement on our moon craters that made me feel like the TD Kushaq I was driving will almost topple, and the Elevate feel like a ship on stormy seas - it was almost not there!

I made it a point to go over bad roads (which are pretty much all around), craters, speed breakers - and at city speeds I can safely say, the ride quality was *almost* as good as the Duster. Please keep in mind I sold off my Duster in 2021, so I've not driven a car in the last 3-odd years and I only have a vague recollection of the magic-carpet-ride like feel of the Duster. But man, this surely reminded me of that. Probably one of the most comfortable compact SUVs I've driven. The only car that has a slightly better ride was, bizarrely, the Jimny. My wife initially sat in the back seat to check it for how bouncy it is - she was mighty impressed. Didn't feel unsettled at all, not even when I took it down a lane where they had dug up the road and literally left 10" gaps between the concrete.

She was more impressed by how much space there was in the back seat. She said it was like she was lounging in a house - and she's not short, she is 5.9. When I sat in the back post the TD, there really is massive space in the back seat. I have no idea why some people have said they found it small earlier - even the 300 had a big and luxurious back seat, but the cushioning on this version is so much better, even better than the Nexon facelift, which was not comfy at all for the two of us since we're both quite tall.

The soft touch materials on the door rails at the driver's side and the driver's arm rest both really helped make it feel more luxurious to drive. I think the ergonomics for me on the 3XO are spot on. And even the seats are perfectly contoured and cushioned. Like I've mentioned I'm 6.2 and I'm quite heavily built but they felt really comfortable to sit in, the lumbar support also wonderful.

Thanks to the time of day and the fact that there was line for TDs, we couldn't do a very long one, but wherever I could get a little empty space, the car was very eager to run when I pressed the accelerator. For most people the AX5 engine tune will be more than enough. Found a route with a small incline and some winding roads and the car was roaring through it, but then even the earlier 300 was a great car to drive w.r.t power. They've just made it really, really luxurious now on the inside.

The AX5 has a wireless charging pad for the phone which was nice. There is cruise control, and the lovely looking Adrenox head unit and the digital display which seemed fine in visibility despite the TD being in harsh noon sunlight. It has dual zone climate control and in the heat the TD vehicle had it at 18C which we had to push up to 20C, it got so cold!

I played with the music system a little - so even with 4 speakers the sound quality is OK, not great. But then I feel that can be after-marketed if needed, or then as someone who loves his music, I prefer to spend money on things in my house/on headphones/speakers than in a car that I spend lesser time in and can't control the acoustics and damping of beyond a certain point.

I prefer the smaller 'moon roof' since when we opened it for a while, the heat almost killed us, so the panoramic would be murderous in this weather. Frankly, the sun-roof craze has never really appealed to us but since the variant doesn't come without one, the smaller one in the AX5 is good enough.

The steering was light, good to hold, the car responded to it well, though it was not as great at the Kushaq. The horn is good.

My biggest gripe with it - no dead pedal in the MT! That was the one thing I had hoped would be in every car now. Not only is there no dead pedal, there is almost no space on the side to rest your left foot. And I have flipper feet, with size 13 shoes! So that's a BIG miss. My calves were crying already.

The seating position is quite high and the angle of view is good. Is it, like they claim, exactly like the XUV700 - I don't think so. I climbed into a display 700 right across the room to see. But it's quite close, no complaints. You sit quite high up and on the TD route we passed a few Kushaqs and it felt like we were sitting a good foot above them on the road!

For me a car has to be comfortable in getting me from place A to B, big enough for luggage and if people are to be accommodated, the AC should work and the ride quality has to be good. The AX5 ticks all the boxes on that.

If anyone is looking at the 3XO, I think just the ride quality might be more than enough to convince them IMO. Very, very impressive.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

We consumed 350 lit diesel worth approximately Rs 30,000 over a distance of 5500km. I describe our experience during each leg of our journey.

BHPian abyb recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

This is my first post on Team Bhp. Though I have been a regular reader of the portal, I was only recently motivated to formally join and post my experiences, following my experiences during my recent trip from Shillong to Nepal, thereon to Delhi and back to Shillong. Reliable first-hand experiences and route suggestions were not easy to come by. The ones that were there online were either old or sketchy. We learnt on the way. A part of the issue was the region where I live- North East India. Not many route advisories are available online from these parts of the country. I describe my experiences regarding the route and the actual driving (route, road conditions, permits and legal conditions) conditions prevalent at the time of writing the post to guide prospective travellers on this route. This is not a description of our activities or hotel stays. Road conditions and legal requirements are rapidly changing in India as well as in Nepal and the same should be accounted for by any traveller.

Our vehicle was Renault Duster AWD 2017. Me and my wife had planned for a long-pending road trip to Nepal and Delhi from our home in Shillong. Our route was also planned depending upon availability of starred/high end hotels. The route we covered over a period of the next one month was:

Shillong- Guwahati-Siliguri-Kathmandu-Pokhara-Lumbini- Lucknow- Delhi- Gorakhpur-Patna- Siliguri- Kokrajhar- Shillong.

We consumed 350 lit diesel worth approximately Rs 30,000 over a distance of 5500km. I describe our experience during each leg of our journey.

Shillong- Guwahati:

We set out from Shillong on 29th Nov 2023 evening for Guwahati. Time may be consumed while leaving Shillong due to the abysmal traffic situation in the city. We took our usual route out of Shillong, via North Eastern Hill University- Mawlai Bypass- GS Road route to reach the main highway (GS Road). Once we crossed Umiam lake and reached NH 6, it was a smooth four-laned expressway till Byrnihat, beyond which lies Khanapara and Guwahati. It’s a pleasureable drive with plenty of food options and fuel stations. Refueling in Meghalaya (Byrnihat/ Jorabat/ Khanapara), just before entering Assam is recommended. This was the cheapest fuel we got on our entire trip (Rs 85/lit). Contrary to popular perception, Nepal was the most expensive at ~Rs 100 for diesel in INR. We did this short segment because we have a home in Guwahati too. Else, Shillong to Siliguri is doable in one day. It might take about 12 hours. Shillong to Siliguri is a trip we undertake very often, and hence the experience described is based on multiple trips over the last 10 years.

Guwahati- Siliguri:

Route taken: Guwahati- Rangia- Barpeta- Srirampur/ Barobisha- Madarihat- Binnaguri- Mal Bazar- Sevoke Bridge- Siliguri (NH 27)

We started at 6:30am. Though the journey takes about 10 hours, an early start is recommended in view of the ongoing road widening- flyover/ underpass construction works on the stretch up to Jalukbari, which when crowded during school/ office hours, might delay you by a long time. From Jalukbari, we took the NH 27 via the Dooars. This route has variable road conditions up to Srirampur on the Assam-WB border. Though it is a four-laned road and the surface is largely good, road widening/ flyover construction work is going on at multiple places and bottleneck areas vary. Flyover construction is taking place upto Bongaigaon presently. Eating joints are aplenty on the way up to Bongaigaon. It is recommended to have a meal before Bongaigaon since there won’t be too many decent food joints till Madarihat in North Bengal. Beyond the Alipurduar intersection, the route is a well metalled double-laned road since this route passes through multiple wildlife sanctuaries of the Dooars. It’s a pleasurable drive through lush greenery.

The alternative route that may be taken is the Guwahati- Azara- Dudhnoi- Goalpara route, which merges with NH 27 before Bongaigaon. Though it is longer and slower but it is a well-metalled route, there are not many heavy vehicles here. When traveling at night, it is better to proceed from Hashimara towards Siliguri via Dhupguri- Jalpaiguri route despite heavy vehicle traffic because the route we took is deserted at night and passes though wildlife sanctuaries. We reached Siliguri comfortably by 5pm.

Siliguri- Kakarvitta- Kathmandu:

Our route plan to Kathmandu from Siliguri was the most uncertain. Each person we asked for guidance had a different route suggestion. We were joined by our friend, Siddharth from Kalimpong for our journey. We stayed for 3 nights in Siliguri, and departed for Kakarvitta at 6am on 2nd Dec. On crossing the Panitanki border, around 30 min from Siliguri, we were directed by Nepal police towards the Bhansar (custom) office for obtaining the vehicle permit. The Bhansar office was open when we reached there at around 7am. Here the following points must be taken care of:

The only documents you would need for entry with vehicle are ORIGINAL RC (photocopies just won’t be accepted, though they might retain a photocopy with them- carry some photocopies of all documents) and an Indian ID card. We took the permit for 15 days for 9000 NPR or 6000 INR. Indian rupees were accepted here. The time required for this formality is half an hour. There was no harassment at this point. No bribes are asked for nor are needed to be paid.

1. Green number plate mentioned in many posts is not currently required. No further documentation is required till Kathmandu.
2. The receipt and Bhansar document in original must be retained throughout the stay in Nepal to be handed over to the border check post on exit.
3. Digilocker is not considered a valid document in Nepal.
4. Legal requirement for another permit for each district @Rs 500 per day exists, but is not rigorously implemented. We had to take that permit only while entering Pokhara.
5. It is illegal in Nepal to be in possession of INR 200 and above denomination currency notes. The same may be seized. Kakarvitta is the only town where Rs 200 and Rs 500 notes are accepted. Beyond this, only Rs 100 and below are valid. INR may be exchanged for NPR in Kakarvitta.
6. Even damaged NPR currency notes are acceptable.
7. Google maps are not reliable in Nepal. It is advisable to keep asking the locals/ plan route in advance. People can understand English and Hindi to a reasonable extent.
8. Driving after consumption of alcohol is a crime in Nepal and police are strict in Kathmandu and Pokhara about this law. We did not touch our car after having any amount of alcohol. Vehicle may be seized and the owners will have to appear in court to retrieve it.
9. It is important to remember that Nepal is a separate country with its own laws. Nepalese take great offence at any hint otherwise.

We had our breakfast in Kakarvitta and departed for Kathmandu. We took the following route, skipping the one suggested by Google maps:
Kakkarvitta- Itahari- Chhatara- Upper Sapta Koshi Bridge- Ghaighat- Katari- Bhiman- Bardibas- Sindhuli- Dhulikhel- Banepa- Kathmandu.

Any other route might lead to roads that are under construction or in a dilapidated condition. Roads are constantly being upgraded in Nepal and preferred routes may change quickly. We identified this route after a lot of research and also suggestions by our acquaintances in Nepal and frequent Indian travellers to Nepal among our friend circle. This was a new route that has been opened up and was strongly recommended and rightly so. The roads are by and large good and well paved, though only double laned (the Nepalese call them four laned though). The right turn at Itahari for Chhatara is inconspicuous and can be easily missed. Ask locals for the route to Chatara/ Saptakoshi Bridge and Kathmandu, or look for Saptakoshi bridge on Google maps. The hill road starts beyond Itahari. The Nepal countryside is a sight for sore eyes- fields and greenery all the way, with quaint villages and houses made in traditional style, corn left to dry in the traditional way. The climb is steep beyond Sindhuli, before the road descends into the Kathmandu valley. The journey from Kakarvitta took 12 hours and we reached Kathmandu only at 8:30 pm. In hindsight we took more halts than we should have, thereby slowing us down substantially. Beware of the trucks and buses. They can be reckless. There are plenty of eating joints on the way. Refuelling is suggested before leaving Itahari. Fuel quality might be an issue in Nepal and hence it is better to refuel only in major towns. Bhat- Bhateni in Itahari is a good place to eat and shop before proceeding ahead.

For those not able to make the journey in one day, it is advisable to break the journey in Hetauda. Hetauda is not on the route that I have described above, but is the only place that offers decent hotels. It is also important to bear in mind that the last 20 km from Banepa to Kathmandu are notorious for massive jams, that can set you back by hours.

Kathmandu-Pokhara:

Route taken: Kathmandu- Naubise- Mugling- Byas-Pokhara.

There is not much confusion about the route on this segment. We departed for Pokhara on 8th Dec. Though only a 200 km journey, the roads on this section were the worst we experienced during our journey. The drive can take anything between 8-10 hours. An early start is recommended to reach Pokhara before dark. You wouldn’t want to negotiate such roads in the dark. Roads are in a somewhat better condition up to Mugling, which is approximately half-way. Thereafter, it is a major road construction zone and almost no blacktopped road existed till we entered the Pokhara valley. We were stopped at a traffic checkpoint and asked to take a permit for Pokhara district at the local district transport office. We took a permit for 3 days @Rs 500 NPR/ day. This document was never asked for again. Lunch at Mugling is strongly recommended before one starts the dilapidated stretch of the highway. There is a diversion to Gorkha on this route, for those interested in a visit. During our trip, the road conditions from Kathmandu to Pokhara were too bad for us to think of a detour.

Last i heard, blacktopping of Mugling- Pokara road is well underway. We entered the Pokhara valley at 4pm. Thereafter, till our hotel on the lakeside, progress was slow due to traffic on a double laned road. Pokhara does not have many branded hotels. Only local hotels are available. As per our experience, hotels in Nepal offer value for money. You get what you pay for, not less.

Pokhara-Lumbini:

Route taken: Pokhara- Waling- Palpa- Butwal- Lumbini.

Google maps may not be reliable to decide the route on this segment. This route is entirely a hill road up to Butwal. Road conditions are satisfactory except in patches. This is a narrow road unlike Kakarvitta to Kathmandu or Kathmandu to Pokhara.

We left Pokhara at 9 am on 12th Dec and reached Lumbini by 3 pm. There are plenty of meal options on the way. Lumbini is in the plains and only 10 km away from the Indian border in Uttar Pradesh. Butwal is the major town here and most hotel options are also in Butwal. Lumbini is only a sparsely populated pilgrimage town. Hotel options are limited. We stayed in Buddha Maya Garden belonging to Kathmandu Guest House group and was a decent, comfortable option. Exploring Maya Devi Temple complex in Lumbini, unless you are on a pilgrimage, takes just a few hours.

Lumbini- Lucknow:

Route taken: Lumbini- Kakrahwa- Basti- Ayodhya- Lucknow.

We departed for Lucknow at noon on 13th Dec after a trip to the Maya Devi Temple. Though the major border crossing is at Sunauli, which is on the route to Gorakhpur, we exited Nepal at Kakrahawa, around 10 km from Lumbini. Crossing over at Sunauli meant taking a detour of 60 -70 km. This is a small border crossing and hence is not on any main highway. Google maps is not recommended when deciding the border crossing from Lumbini. There are multiple border crossings between Nepal and India. It is advisable to enquire before choosing a border crossing, since some border crossings are only for cargo.

We deposited the Bhansar documents with receipt with the Nepal Bhansar check post at the border on request. India’s SSB personnel wanted to check our car, but then backed out seeing the amount of luggage we were carrying. Our Indian ID card, vehicle documents and driving licence were checked by the SSB before crossing over. Roads up to NH 27 at Basti though good, are narrow and congested. NH 27 leading to Lucknow, though well metalled and 4 laned, is fairly congested. Major construction activity was going on around Ayodhya and progress was slow. The place was dusty too. We reached Lucknow at 8pm.

Lucknow- Delhi:

Route taken- Lucknow- Agra (Taj Expressway)- Delhi (Yamuna Expressway, Greater NOIDA- NOIDA Expressway, DND flyway)

This was the best road and the only true access-controlled expressway we encountered on our journey. 500 odd km were covered in 7 hours on 14th Dec. There are only two pit stops on the Lucknow Agra stretch, all 100 km apart, on the 300 km highway. Agra- Greater NOIDA expressway has plenty of halts for fuel as well as meals. The truth about great access controlled expressways is that they are singularly characterless. You are transported from one city to another without having any interaction with the villages, towns and the environment or the countryside around. For meals or fuel, characterless, deserted mall-like structures with branded food options make the journey unremarkable. Too bland for my tastes.

Delhi- Gorakhpur:

Route taken: Delhi-Lucknow- Ayodhya- Gorakhpur

We left for Gorakhpur from Delhi on 27th Dec 2023. This was a very long and stressful drive, of around 800km. Ayodhya would have been the most appropriate for an overnight halt, but we decided to go for Gorakhpur, given the dusty conditions in Ayodhya we saw during our onward journey. We started at 6:30 am. Due to the exceptionally dense fog in Delhi, our progress was painfully slow till 11 am. Negotiating through Lucknow to reach Purvanchal expressway was painful and time-consuming. Thereafter, we took the Purvanchal expressway upto Sultanpur, from where we took the Ayodhya highway. This was as per the Google maps recommendation, which keeps showing different routes as per traffic conditions. We reached Ayodhya in about 10 hours. Thereafter, progress was slow, due to traffic conditions on NH 27. We reached Gorakhpur at 8pm. NH 27 and the Sultanpur- Ayodhya highways were both well paved 4 laned highways.

Gorakhpur- Patna:

Route taken: Gorakhpur- Kushinagar- Gopalganj- Mohammadpur- Patna

This segment was a result of a miscalculation. Our original plan was to head straight to Siliguri from Gorakhpur. That’s what we were told, and also read on various online portals, was comfortably doable (some travellogues from as far back as 2013 too suggest this itinerary). However, on checking Google maps, the journey was taking 13 hours for a distance of 650km. And given our tiredness from the previous day’s drive, we were in no mood for it. We expected the highway to be nowhere near Delhi- Lucknow stretch. So we decided to proceed to Patna. Patna was a detour of about 2 hours from NH 27, and the only city on or close to our planned route to have good hotel we could rely on, the Lemon Tree. Muzaffarpur, Darbhanga or Araria on our planned route had no such property. In hindsight, probably heading to Varanasi from Delhi the previous day might have been a better option if we were to go to Patna. But that’s in hindsight.

We departed from Gorakhpur on 28th Dec after a quick visit to the Gorakhnath Temple, at 11am and crossed into Bihar at Gopalganj while following NH 27. It is important to mention here that Bihar being a dry state, the vehicle might be checked on entering the state. The next miscalculation possibly was the reliance on Google maps to reach Patna. We were navigated through the village roads to reach Patna. Though the roads were in good shape, they were single or double laned beyond Mohammadpur, passing through the Bihar countryside and mofussil towns. Probably going via Muzzafarpur might have been more appropriate. However, we covered the distance in 6 hours after a late start with no halts for meals or tea because there was no decent place for the same.

Patna- Siliguri:

Route taken: Patna-Muzzafarpur-Darbhanga- Forbesganj- Araria- Purnia- Dalkhola- Kishanganj- Siliguri

We started from Patna at 7:30 am on the 29th Dec. This is another route where one must avoid following the route suggested by Google maps. The route mentioned in this post is a good four laned highway all through to Siliguri, with no diversions from NH 27. This day was a pleasurable drive all the way, NH 27 being in good shape, comfortably enabling speeds beyond 90kmph. Eating joints were a rarity for finicky people like us. We were in Bagdogra by 5pm. Entering Siliguri was a pain due traffic jams beyond Bagdogra. Key take aways: Unless you are a "cool guy with a swagger", do not attempt Gorakhpur- Siliguri in one day. Crossing a state as big as Bihar in a single day is not easy. Stick to NH 27 all the way from Ayodhya to Siliguri, irrespective of what google maps suggests.

Siliguri- Shillong:

Route taken- the same as mentioned while going from Guwahati to Siliguri. Route recommendation remains the same as during the onward journey.

Read BHPian comments for more insights and information.

It turns heads everywhere I go and I have had people come up and chat about it. This is something I would've never experienced if we had bought another XUV 700 in a sea of XUVs in NCR.

BHPian V0id2003 recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Harrier ADV+ Dark AT Ownership Review - 5,000 km

A bit of a background about me , I am an engineering student in Karnataka ,a long way from home in gurgaon and I have done only about 800-900 kms of the 5000. This car is primarily driven by my mother on her daily 40 km commute. I always thought that I'll start making posts on Team BHP when I grow up, start earning and buying cars myself but since Diesels/Petrols are dying and EVs will take over when I become 23-24 years old , I thought I'll express my enthusiasm in this post.

Purchase Decision

The objective was to replace our 2017 Duster petrol CVT which was starting to feel really sluggish due to the uninspiring 1.5 H4K producing only 105 ps of power and the heavy hydraulic steering which was a chore to manoeuvre, so in-spite of having only 30k on the ODO we decided it was time to move on. We used to take our Verna on long routes, but the lack of rear space and repeated alignment/suspension issues due to the bad roads on my mother's daily commute was becoming an issue , so we needed a big automatic powerful SUV , preferably petrol, to take its place.

Options considered

XUV 700 - A great and well sorted car with amazing engines which are certainly a cut above the Harrier/Safari powertrain.
However the interiors felt cheap with a lot of plasticky bits along with the weird vaneer treatment on the doors , Harrier's black interior in the dark trim felt much better. The wacky DRLs, the dull-looking rear and side profile meant that it was dropped. Basically we didn't get that wow factor we were looking for. It only had the availability of an amazing petrol engine which is favorable in NCR going for it

MG Hector - It had an amazing cabin , amazing NVH. However all of 3 us were spoiled by the Verna's amazing pickup and the Hector CVT was quite sluggish and not fun to drive at all. Our sole reason for upgrading from the duster was its lackluster powertrain so hector was dropped. An automatic was must so we didn't consider the diesel

Alcazar - Great interiors , good 1.5 turbo petrol + DCT combo. However we were a bit turned off by its subdued styling although I can understand its appeal. It looks timeless, especially from the rear. The interiors were also fab. But dad didn't like it due to its more MPV-like stance , so it was dropped

Safari - Being a family of only 3 ,with our cars being driven with only 1 person inside 90% of the time turned us off a 7-seater. There was no need to compromise on the second row comfort (Safari seats feel upright and less supportive than the Harrier) and design (Harrier's sloping roofline looked more appealing).

Harrier - We had test driven the pre facelift Harrier. We were immediately in love with its design and plush black interiors with a black roof liner, just how I like it, however, the heavy hydraulic steering was not liked by my mother, which was the same as the Duster , so it didn't make sense for us to upgrade at the time. We thought that Verna will suffice for now and set our sights on the facelift.

The facelift came, and it was test driven by my parents because I was back in Karnataka due to college. They fell in love , there was almost nothing wrong to point out in the facelifted harrier. My mom described the EPS as a hot knife through butter. It was done and the Harrier Fearless Dark AT was booked. We got allotted a bad unit which I mentioned in these posts ,so we rejected it

We went with the Adventure + trim which was in stock at the time and had almost everything we needed:

Got my Harrier Adventure + Dark AT trim about 2 weeks back. Seemed liked the most vfm trim with all of the look and feel of the top trim + many feel good features I wanted like a panaromic sunroof , leather upholestry , 360 camera , 19 inch alloys but I wanted to specify a couple of omissions that they dont mention in the brochure

• Passenger side vanity mirror which was very surprising , a 27 lakh car without a vanity mirror is a crime in my opinion. The fearless trim gets it.
• Auto dimming IRVM

Tata should definitely mention the omission of these 2 things in the brochure , moreover they should start providing these basic things. Other than that this variant mainly missed out on 2 tweeters and a subwoofer , Electric seats with ventilation , a bigger screen( Same features on both the 10.25 and the 12 inch screen except for the jbl modes) , the swipe indicators with the quirky unlock animation and dual zone climate control which is actually a plus for me since I hated the touch control for the fan on this variant. I like having physical controls for temperature and fan both with the adventure trim gets.

I got this variant @ 26.94 lakh on road , the fearless dark AT trim was costing me 28.76 lakh on road , both in gurgaon. I had booked the fearless variant first but on the day of PDI it had a lot of issues - the roof lining was broken , it was hanging down , the harrier badge had the H missing ,the door rubber seals were not done properly and the tailgate was about installed 1-2 cm inside comapred to the body , so the tail lights were not flush. A lot of new harriers are having tailgate alignment and roof + door seal issues. The dealer had an Adventure + dark AT in stock so I went with it.

I like that this variant had the look and feel of the top trim and a savings of 2.3 lakhs which will be used towards a better audio system

Now moving onto the crux of the matter , I have divided my experience into the pros and cons

Cons/Issues faced first:

In all our excitement, we didn't realise that Tata doesn't even give a vanity mirror on any sun visor in the Adventure+ trim, which is shocking.

• Glitchy Infotainment system - I did see this coming , its a Tata afterall. Sometimes the turn signal + speed alert + seatbelt warning sounds stop working. This is very common , I did get the software updated but its still there.
• I don't know if anyone has experienced this or not but the turn signals don't sound rhythmic at all to me on all Harriers/Safaris. They sound out of sync ,like the time period in between blinks is not uniform.
• Steering seems slightly off center to me while driving straight

Now onto the pros

• I really love how it looks. The stylish design makes up for any issues I've had. Every time I get out of the car, I can't help but look back at it. It has that feel-good vibe we were after. It turns heads everywhere I go and I have had people come up and chat about it. This is something I would've never experienced if we had bought another XUV in a sea of XUVs in NCR.
• The mileage is simply stellar. 12-13 kmpl in the city , 17-19 kmpl on the highway is mind boggling to us.
• I felt that after we booked the Harrier I would always regret not having a stonking motor of a XUV but to my surprise sports mode feels amazing. The pull is instant and the paddle shifters feel great ( I have been watching F1 since 2012 when I was in 4th grade , I always wanted a set of those in my car)
• Surprisingly good NVH. Going 110-120 in our Verna felt like 110-120 due to the wind and tire noise. However 110-120 feels like 80-90 here due to the excellent insulation. The engine is very silent in city conditions as well.
• The interior - I am a big fan of black interiors coupled with black roof liners. The door frames are thick and the dashboard is huge. The door handles feel chunky. I really like the cozy , protected feeling I get in this cabin. Sure, it's not as airy as beige interiors in cars like the XUV, but the panoramic sun roof makes up for it. It feels like I am sitting in a tank

In spite of all this I would still recommend the XUV, it is the better car.

I know that buying a Diesel product in NCR without long-distance running in NCR is stupidity, buying a first lot Tata product is also stupidity but that feeling of excitement every time I get I behind the Harrier's wheel and when I look back and glance at it is something only the Harrier gives. You only live once, so we chose a car that we all loved and not something that's sensible and reliable. Lets enjoy the Diesels till they last.

Here are a few shots I took of the beast and I would also love to get some audio upgrade recommendations, since this trim doesn't get the JBL audio system

Read BHPian comments for more insights and information.

The air conditioning works fine at idle and speeds up to 50 km/h but above that, the compressor cuts off leaving only the blower running.

BHPian sj@8535 recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Hello members,

I am writing this post on behalf of my friend who is facing a strange and irritating issue with his Duster. The model in concern is the 85 PS 2015 (old model).

The issue that my friend is facing is regarding the air conditioning system in his car.

The AC works fine with the compressor engaged at idle and while driving at speeds of up to 50 kmph, at any higher speed the compressor would cut off and AC stops cooling completely, left only with the blower.

Have visited multiple workshops and no one has an explanation for this occurrence. During the last visit, the compressor was serviced, still no change in the situation.

Key points

1. AC works fine at idle and speeds upto 50 kmph
2. At speeds over 50 kmph the compressor cuts off, leaving only the blower running
3. Rpm does not play a role in this, compressor works fine even at 50 kmph in second gear
4. Compressor restarts when we slow down from a higher speed to less than 50 kmph
5. AC output is very good once the compressor works
6. No increase in engine temperature above optimum, electric fan works fine

Can anybody give your valuable opinion regarding this strange and irritating issue?

Thank you.

Here's what BHPian SS-Traveller had to say about the matter:

I would:

• Check the cooling fan in the engine bay
• Check the refrigerant pressure, both high and low
• Wash the radiator + condenser externally
• Check if the compressor clutch operation is fine
• Check if the cooling coil is clean, and if icing is happening there

AC compressors often cut out when the car begins to overheat, without the temperature needle actually climbing up noticeably (choked radiator + condenser). Or the cooling coil inside the dashboard is dirty and tends to ice up quickly, cutting out the compressor.

The compressor is not likely to cut out exactly when 50 km/h is reached, but a minute or two after running at that speed. Please confirm.

Here's what BHPian Jaggu had to say about the matter:

Indeed a very puzzling issue, why don't they disconnect the speedo sensor and see what happens? If this is related to speed the only input is from the speed sensor, right?

Since RPM is not related to the issue, the compressor was serviced and gas also topped up during this?

Here's what BHPian kosjam had to say about the matter:

Check the belt tension of the belt driving the AC compressor. As the engine RPM goes beyond a limit, the belt seems to be slipping. In lower gears, the vehicle rpm does not go above this slipping rpm long enough to be able to feel this, but above 50 kph, the rpm might be consistently above the slippage rpm to be able to feel it.

Here's what BHPian Jeroen had to say about the matter:

It is a strange issue. There are a couple of things why an AC could be influenced by speed. The most likely one is that at speed a larger volume of air is pushed through the system, requiring higher cooling capacity. If the system is relatively low on refrigerant it might stop. Alternatively, a clogged condenser or evaporator can cause icing, which also results in no cooling.

The items mentioned by SS Traveller must be checked. Low refrigerant is a real possibility. With the engine idling it might work fine, but higher air flows might cause the problems.

An indication might be how quickly the compressor is cycling on/off. On car AC every 10-20 seconds is not unusual, but anything more often is an indication of the system being low on refrigerant. Try the system with the engine running at idle and the blower fan on max for a couple of minutes. Keep the doors open to allow maximum airflow. If the AC stops, you have found the cause!

Do get the pressure readings taken too. Another suspect could be a wonky expansion valve.

Good luck, let us know what you find.

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The Maruti Jimny SUV, although a downgrade, looked good after all the discounts on the pricing.

BHPian Samba recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

From the last 1 year, I have been looking for a replacement, and there were no cars which appealed to me. So I decided to pay the road tax and retain the Duster in August.

I liked the Jimny, especially for its boxy design, and the old-school mechanicals, but the car was overpriced. Plus I knew it would be a downgrade from the Duster, but these are heart over mind decisions. We should not compare both of these vehicles. They are different.

This December, after all the discounts the pricing of the Jimny looked good, and I casually gave a few ads of my Duster. Luckily I got a good deal, and we let the car go. Hope it finds a caring home.

It was tough letting the car go. When the person drove it away, all the good memories were flashing in front of me, and I was having a tough time holding my composure!

The final odo reading.

During these 5 years of ownership of the Duster, we did 36 road trips & covered 14 states. Quite a lot of memories, and am sure these memories will be etched forever.

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