DRACO - Mahindra XUV500 W8: Ownership Review (1,10,000 Kms Achieved)

[singh890]

Hello Everyone,
Welcome The DRACO Meaning: It's a Latin form of Greek Drakon, meaning "dragon." It is also the name of a constellation.

Finally the wait was over for us on 26 November 2012 when we took delivery of our DRACO -XUV 5OO W8.

How it all began:
Well the urge of getting a new car was pinching me from a long time since every time we thought do buying a car something or other used to come up and it was in April this year when one fine day i was talking to my parents on Skype and dad said that we need to buy a car and he has been looking for some options. Also that was the time when I was looking to gift something to parents since I couldn’t do anything when I got my first job as I was in US. I was unable to decide that what should I gift them but the answer came from my parents itself.

So at that time I didn’t tell my dad what’s going in my mind I simply started looking for options and thought of telling my intention once we select the car and everything is final. Came August we decided on Hyundai Verna and I revealed my intentions to my parents. And yes they were really happy but simply said NO and it took me 2 weeks to convince them:-). And yes I succeeded.

Though I got bit of a scolding since I bought a R15 v2 for my brother as well in July. So when I told my dad about the car:

Dad: No need you just bought a bike for your brother.
ME: I know, now you and mom are next In line.
Dad: No need I’ll take care of it.
Me: No dad, don’t worry I’ll take care of it.
Dad: Give me the money I’ll invest it for you somewhere and I’ll take care of the car.
Me: Yes that’s what I am saying I’ll take care of the car and you can go ahead and invest your money somewhere good.
Dad: No
Me: yes, that’s a gift for you and mom.
And the conversation went on and on for good 20-30 mins and yes I won.
After 30 mins:
Dad: Acha baba tum jeetey,(Ok son you win) --> Hip Hip Hurray
And then we started talking about which car, what are our requirements, options available etc etc.

Hunt for a new Car:
Now the most interesting part of this ownership report is the buying decision, how we ended up buying XUV 5OO. We started looking for a new car back in July and initially our search was for a diesel sedan and the budget was around 8-11L. And our search ended on Hyundai Verna SX and we booked the car in August but destiny had something else planed for us. And for some reason we had to cancel the booking after 2 weeks and our search for a new car was postponed by 2-3 months.

Comes November and our search started again but this time our budget and requirements both had been changed. Budget was increased up to 14.5L so that we can get a good SUV. The reason behind this decision was that since we have a lot of relatives in US and someone or other keeps visiting India, so space becomes a big concern when it comes to luggage and with 5 people and good amount of luggage the GC reduces to quite a bit.

Secondly since this car will be used only for Highway drives that means long journeys, late night journeys, good and bad roads so space, comfort and GC became our main priority followed by the requirements below. So we decided to go with a SUV.

Requirements:
ABS
EBD
ESP
Disc Brakes
5-7 Seater
Comfort
Spacious
Ground Clearance
Hill hold and hill descent (good to have, but not required)
Seating and driving Comfort
Airbags
Alloys
Leather seats
Parking guidance
Good Highway Cruiser
FE between 12-16 on Highway
Rear AC

 

[singh890]

Re: DRACO - Mahindra XUV 5OO-W8: Ownership Review

Contenders:
Well our budget was from 8-14.5L OTR. Though there are many contenders in this budget but we only considered XUV 5OO and Tata Safari Storme. Reason for not considering other choices can be checked in this thread.

Just don’t want to make duplicate posts.
http://www.theautomotiveindia.com/f...uv-budget-rs-14-5-lakh-bought-xuv-5oo-w8.html

Honestly speaking my choice was always Tata Safari Storme VX 4x2 and the second option was XUV 5OO. And I told the same to my dad when he asked for my choice. Since I am in US therefore I can’t go for a TD but my dad did some 2-3 TD of Storme and XUV 5OO. And it simply created a big confusion as in which one to buy. And also it was a hard choice to go either with Heart or Mind. And mom and dad choose XUV, my choice was as usual Storme and my brother played it safe since he was ok with either of them. So XUV was decided and I didn’t went against my parents decision neither I forced them to buy Storme since they are the one who will be using the car more than me and also didn’t wanted to impose my choice on them. But if it was up to me and I was in India buying a car for myself I would have been Storme and I wouldn’t have even considered other options. Well I guess Storme needs to wait a bit more before making an entry into our garage.

Reason for choosing XUV 5OO over Storme:
Well my parents liked Storme and XUV both but they found XUV more VFM and yes they loved the list of features provided in XUV. Yes I would have been happier if they would have chosen Storme but now it’s done and since XUV 5OO was my second choice I am pretty happy with that also
Now the reason why my dad picked XUV over Storme were:

 If we would have bought Storme than it had to be VX model since it comes with Airbags, leather seats and alloys as well. And VX4X2 was costing us around 13.7-13.8L OTR and you still miss on rear passenger airbags (side and Curtain), dual din and steering mounted controls. Whereas XUV landed in our garage at a price of 14.6L, though it was 80K more than the Storme VX but then it was worth putting that amount since we got a lot of things for the amount we paid. For Ex: Side and Curtain airbags, steering mounted controls, dual din with touch screen display backed up with a GPS and tons of other features, rear reclining seats, Hill hold & Descent control, storage space in center console with cooling ability etc.

 Second factor was that Storme is new in market and we don’t know how will it behave in the long run, what kind of niggles (if any) whereas XUV has been in the market over a year now and Mahindra has definitely worked on the initial niggles.

And i think his point of view is totally valid though but still my dad was happy with Storme, the comfort it provides and the stability of the car is really good according to him but lack of features and the price for VX 4x2 just didn’t impress him and this was the only thing which kept him away from buying Storme. So it was a decision from mind rather than heart that’s all I can say.

Dealer Experience:
Well the dealer experience in our case was really good and the Sales Rep was a decent guy and used to follow up with us in every 2-3 days. The dealership is Sterling Motor Co. in Faridabad on Mathura Road and the sales guy name was Varun. So once we decided on the XUV we started taking quotes from different dealers in Uttaranchal, Haryana and Delhi. XUV would have cost us less in Uttaranchal but the dealer said that he can’t provide the car before Jan end or Feb. Delhi Ex-showroom price was less but tax was high, so out goes Delhi and dealers said 1-2 months for delivery.

Now I called a couple of dealers in Gurgaon and Faridabad and luckily both the dealers had XUV W8 available in Silver and the one in Faridabad had one available in white as well. So we decided to get it from Faridabad and booked XUV 5OO-w8 in SATIN WHITE on 12 Nov. Though the car was available but we couldn’t take delivery since my dad was busy hence the dealer called us and said that he is getting customers who are willing to buy the car on cash, which is quite common in Diwali season. So my dad asked him when can he make the car available to us if we give away this one, he said 22-23 Nov and we were ok with it.

On 22 November the dealer called us and said that our XUV has arrived and we can come according to our convenience and take the delivery. So my mom, dad and brother reached Faridabad on 24 Nov and next day was Saturday and we don’t buy any metal on Saturday, so the delivery date was fixed for Monday 26 November since on Sunday banks are closed.

Monday my dad and bro reached the dealership by 2:30 PM. Our XUV 5OO was all ready and standing right in front for delivery and then the delivery process took place followed by the Pooja. The dealer had their own pandit and he did a pretty good job. We were presented a box of chocolate and the dealer took a picture while we received our XUV and we were given that picture in a photo frame. My parents and brother were on their way back to home by 5:30 PM. Yes it took a lot of time, there was some problem with the Bank’s system so the money transfer took a lot of time and then paperwork, billing etc. The
dealer provided 5 liter of diesel as well.

Overall a very good dealership experience at Sterling Motor Co. and I will definitely recommend this dealer to prospect buyers of Mahindra around or in NCR area. And I would rate them 9/10.

 

[singh890]

Re: DRACO - Mahindra XUV 5OO-W8: Ownership Review

Now few words about DRACO

What everyone liked:
Well to begin with I would say the never ending list of features.
6 Inch color infotainment System
Steering mounted controls
Navigation System , auto wipers,
Tyre Tronics
Stylish Speedometer console
Phone charging outlet for all 3 rows
Safety features like Airbags (front and rear), Disc brakes, ABS, EDB, ESP Hill Hold and descrent.
AC vents for all the rows
Good amount of space with first row seats pushed all the way back
Overall a VFM

Dislikes:
With all rows up there is no boot space left
Last row leg room is not ample for adults
Plastic quality is not bad but could have been better

Engine:
As we all know it comes with a 2.2L Diesel engine and it’s a proven one with pumping out 140 horses of power and 330 NM of torque. Provides very good performance and the pickup is just great and you don’t realize how fast you are going until and unless you check the speedometer.

Brakes:
The disc brakes all around makes braking capability of this vehicle really good but one has to get accustomed to the braking behavior which will take just 15-20 minutes and definitely for people who jump from a hatch to a SUV. Also ABS, EBD and ESP add more value to the braking system in a panic situation.

Suspension and Ride Quality:
Feels comfortable inside and takes small potholes and speed breakers easily. But yes the suspension is more on the stiffer side but won’t make you and other fellow passengers uncomfortable.

Overall Design:
Well the design definitely looks stylish and the side profile is very well designed and the twin exhausts adds more stars to the looks. The fit and finish on the inside is really good but the plastic material used could have been of a better quality. But the dash is very well designed and yes it gives a premium feel to the interior as it is loaded with tons of features.

Air Conditioner:
The AC is really good and it works flawlessly and yes it is a chiller also the AC vents in the second and third row helps the car to cool much faster.

Seating and Space:
The seats are really comfortable and the second row has ample of space even if the front seats are pushed back to the limit. Also the second row seats can be reclined which adds more to the comfort for the middle row passengers. Well the third row is bit short on space but you can easily fit someone who’s height is around 5.5 won’t be problem. After reading quite a few reviews I was skeptical about the third row seating but it’s not that bad though. But we will be using the first 2 rows mostly, so the third row does not bother me.
Now talking about the boot space, you have very little space left in the boot area with the third row up but if you put the third row down yes there’s ample of space.
Besides that you have ample of storage space available in the car from the center console, to the glove compartment and the storage space on the top in middle of the dash, also pockets on the doors are good enough.

Gearshift:
Gears are really smooth even the first and second which usually many owners complain about being bit notchy.

Also i checked and confirm that our XUV is manufactured in November.

Picture taken by the dealer while taking delivery which was given to us in a photo frame


Other pictures while taking delivery




DRACO resting at home

 

[visran]

Re: DRACO - Mahindra XUV 5OO-W8: Ownership Review

Wow what a gift, very well written report i totally enjoyed reading it and a big congrats to you and your family on getting your dragon home, please do keep up dating this thread.

 

[singh890]

Re: DRACO - Mahindra XUV 5OO-W8: Ownership Review

Wow what a gift, very well written report i totally enjoyed reading it and a big congrats to you and your family on getting your dragon home, please do keep up dating this thread.

Thanks buddy and yes it feels really good

Will definitely keep this thread updated

 

[Raja]

Re: DRACO - Mahindra XUV 5OO-W8: Ownership Review

Inder congratsssssss

Storme or xuv , finally something came that's more imp

And its better allways to go with what the family likes . And your dad is right in his reasoning the w8 is indeed more vfm then storme top end . Storme lx is the only vfm product .

What about some pics of your dad driving it ? Wish my best wishes to your bro and mom and dad once again very happy for you .

Edit- btw loved the name Draco apt name for xuv , I allways felt it looks more like a dragon then a cheetah .

 

[singh890]

Re: DRACO - Mahindra XUV 5OO-W8: Ownership Review

Inder congratsssssss

Storme or xuv , finally something came that's more imp

And its better allways to go with what the family likes . And your dad is right in his reasoning the w8 is indeed more vfm then storme top end . Storme lx is the only vfm product .

What about some pics of your dad driving it ? Wish my best wishes to your bro and mom and dad once again very happy for you .

Edit- btw loved the name Draco apt name for xuv , I allways felt it looks more like a dragon then a cheetah .

Thanks for your good wishes bro

Yes XUV or Storme doesn't matter what matters is Family and their feelings.

Will post more pictures once i get pics from my brother which should be tonight. A proper photo session.

 

[AppU]

Re: DRACO - Mahindra XUV 5OO-W8: Ownership Review

@singh890,

Congrats for your DRACO, You have presented a wonderful gift to your parents

When you are driving DRACO, it will perfectly suit to your personality

BTW, Excellent Narration with Beautiful Pics,Please Post some side profile pics also.

 

[dharmesh]

Re: DRACO - Mahindra XUV 5OO-W8: Ownership Review

Singh mere dost. Congratzzz for your Draco mate. We need more interior pics of Draco.

Btw, what a gift to parents.

 

[singh890]

Re: DRACO - Mahindra XUV 5OO-W8: Ownership Review

@singh890,

Congrats for your DRACO, You have presented a wonderful gift to your parents

When you are driving DRACO, it will perfectly suit to your personality

BTW, Excellent Narration with Beautiful Pics,Please Post some side profile pics also.

Thanks mate

More pics will be up shortly.

Singh mere dost. Congratzzz for your Draco mate. We need more interior pics of Draco.

Btw, what a gift to parents.

Thanks buddy.

DRACO will have a photo session today and once i receive the pics will post them without fail.

 

[ToughGuy]

Re: DRACO - Mahindra XUV 5OO-W8: Ownership Review

Congrats for Draco wishing you and your family many happy miles in this XUV. Very well written ownership report to the point and quite useful.

 

[Superbad]

Re: DRACO - Mahindra XUV 5OO-W8: Ownership Review

Congrats for you draco.
I would advise you to remove the picture with the key fob since the number is a sensitive info needed to make a duplicate key.

 

[Iron Rock]

Re: DRACO - Mahindra XUV 5OO-W8: Ownership Review

warm welcome to draco to the forum, nice pics and excellent writeup singhji!

 

[singh890]

Re: DRACO - Mahindra XUV 5OO-W8: Ownership Review

Congrats for Draco wishing you and your family many happy miles in this XUV. Very well written ownership report to the point and quite useful.

Thanks buddy, appreciate your well wishes.

Glad you liked the review

Congrats for you draco.
I would advise you to remove the picture with the key fob since the number is a sensitive info needed to make a duplicate key.

Thanks mate

Also thanks for the key fob advise, don't know how come i miss it.

 

[singh890]

Re: DRACO - Mahindra XUV 5OO-W8: Ownership Review

warm welcome to draco to the forum, nice pics and excellent writeup singhji!

Thanks for your wishes IR buddy

More pics will be up soon, that's just the trailer.