Mahindra feedback requested

Submitted: Thursday, Feb 25, 2010 at 21:30

ThreadID: 76341 Views:3677 Replies:9 FollowUps:14

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Member - Andrew (QLD)

Hi,

We are in the very early stages of looking for some replacement vehicles for our volunteer organisation. With funding always a fine balance and with more members than vehicle carrying capacity normally, we need to look at all options.

Had a look at the Mahindras dual cab utes today. Apart from being ugly in some peoples eyes, does anyone have one or have any genuine feedback on them.

The pros we can see at this stage are as follows:

- they are around 1/2 the cost of the "traditional" 4wd utes. Essentially we can get two vehicles for our normal one. Twice the carrying capacity.

- Good head room for us big guys. ;) Leg room acceptable with ability to adjust steering column.

- 3 year warranty with roadside assistance included. Option of extended 3 year warranty.

- 16 inch alloy wheels, not rediculous sizing.

- Good entry angles at front.

- 2500kg towing capability.

- good tray capacity

- apparently 1st is geared low

- Heaps of room on console and dash to install our radio/gps/netbook components

The cons i have found so far include:

- slightly undersized engine even with turbo. Could do with a couple more ponys.

- Looks LOL

- lack of some accessories at this stage (canvas seat covers etc i guess)

- Negativity of the brand

- rear drum brakes

Does anyone have one of these and can comment on them. We intend using it for towing of a light trailer or a 4.5m rescue boat whilst having 5 occupants in the vehicle. Ladder racks will be added with storage boxes for rescue equipment. Milage will be rather low (<10K p/a) with mild off-road usage common.

Any help would be appreciated.

Andrew

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Reply By: Hairy (NT) - Thursday, Feb 25, 2010 at 21:52

Thursday, Feb 25, 2010 at 21:52

Gday,
Sorry I cant help, but Ive just bought a block which comes with a Mahindra tractor...... Ill be interested to hear the replies.

Cheers

AnswerID: 406038

Follow Up By: Member - Andrew (QLD) - Thursday, Feb 25, 2010 at 21:54

Thursday, Feb 25, 2010 at 21:54

What are they like Hairy?

Andrew

FollowupID: 675735

Follow Up By: Hairy (NT) - Saturday, Feb 27, 2010 at 00:32

Saturday, Feb 27, 2010 at 00:32

Dont know mate?
I live in Alice and my new place in WA? I could ring my mate and ask him...Ive never driven it...thats why Im interested in the replies....

Cheers

FollowupID: 675943

Reply By: Karen & Geoff - Thursday, Feb 25, 2010 at 22:05

Thursday, Feb 25, 2010 at 22:05

They are funny little things. Geoff went to sit in one, but he couldn't shut the door cause his legs were to long and his knee was in the way of the door arm rest.

Looked quiet funny!
Karen

AnswerID: 406042

Reply By: ian - Thursday, Feb 25, 2010 at 23:57

Thursday, Feb 25, 2010 at 23:57

Andrew,

I work and travel in India a bit and see a range of locally built vehicles.
My opinion is that the quality is reflected in the price, it is that simple.
I am not up to date on safety features of the vehicle. You say you are carrying up to 5 volunteers, and I think in that case passenger safety should be your first and over-riding decision. I believe you will get better long term value from a used quality 4x4 for the same price.

Only proviso is if you thrash vehicles and they are stuffed in 3 years anyway, you might as well buy junk, I guess.

Ian

AnswerID: 406076

Follow Up By: Sir Kev & Darkie - Friday, Feb 26, 2010 at 07:34

Friday, Feb 26, 2010 at 07:34

I seriously doubt they will be thrashed as it is hard enough to get a replacement vehivle as it is. Some of these vehicles are upwards of 20 years old as they don't have the funds to replace them.

Cheers Kev

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FollowupID: 675771

Follow Up By: Member - Andrew (QLD) - Friday, Feb 26, 2010 at 09:23

Friday, Feb 26, 2010 at 09:23

Kev,

for <$4K a year they can be turned over every 3-5 years which is why we are looking at them. Would replace our early 90's vehicles. ;)

No laughing if we get some. :) I'll put a requisition in for a sledgehammer to round the edges. LOL

Andrew

FollowupID: 675786

Reply By: Mark B - Friday, Feb 26, 2010 at 08:19

Friday, Feb 26, 2010 at 08:19

Hi Andrew,
FWIW, I believe the Mahindra's got a very poor ANCAP safety rating (2 star from memory). So this might be an issue when using as part of an organisation, if the vehicle is involved in a crash and one of your people is injured.
Just a thought. Otherwise I have no experience with Mahindra's.
Cheers, Mark.

AnswerID: 406093

Follow Up By: Member - Andrew (QLD) - Friday, Feb 26, 2010 at 08:55

Friday, Feb 26, 2010 at 08:55

Thanks for that thought Mark. I'll have a look into it and see why they scored poorly now. I'm hesitant about knocking one vehicle over another, especially considering our current "standard vehicles" are 11 seater Troopies and passenger safety has some issues IMHO.

Aiming not to crash ;)

Andrew

FollowupID: 675778

Follow Up By: signman - Friday, Feb 26, 2010 at 13:02

Friday, Feb 26, 2010 at 13:02

Mark
I think it was the 'Great Wall' and the Proton 'Jumbuck' utes that got a bagging in the recent ANCAP tests !!

FollowupID: 675826

Follow Up By: OzTroopy - Friday, Feb 26, 2010 at 13:36

Friday, Feb 26, 2010 at 13:36

Just a thought ....

Personally ... my view on ANCAP ( and similiar ) tests ... is that they are no different to a 4wd magazine testing tyres and fridges ...

ALL new vehicles sold in aust. have to pass safety testing to ADR standards.

Anything offered above those ADR standards - by a manufacturer - is a bonus ... or a sales pitch.

FollowupID: 675833

Follow Up By: Mark B - Friday, Feb 26, 2010 at 14:11

Friday, Feb 26, 2010 at 14:11

Hi Andrew, Signman,
Have just checked the ANCAP results online, and yes the Proton Jumbuck got 1 star, and the Great Wall and Mahindra's each got 2 stars. May or may not be relevant to your decision Andrew, but good luck whichever way you go.
Cheers, Mark.

FollowupID: 675838

Reply By: OzTroopy - Friday, Feb 26, 2010 at 08:48

Friday, Feb 26, 2010 at 08:48

Mahindra ????

How could you go wrong ??? .... Its got 3yr warranty and roadside assist ... altho roadside assist has varying degrees of usefulness.

Its got a nosecone as ugly as a new 70 series landcruiser so you could always "pretend" you bought something else ... lol

Your group being a volunteer / charity group ... a dealer will also be "obliged" to deal with any warranty issues promptly to avoid negative press.

If the "basicness" of the vehicle is suitable for its intended use then brand is of no consequence. Just be aware that build techniques and material quality will still be a bit behind the offerings by the bling brands.

Years ago I was regarded a fool for buying a daihatsu F50 ... The daihatsu (albiet better built than a mahindra I looked at last year) turned out to be every bit as good as a toyota of the time ... and in many cases ... better.

Drum Brakes ... not an issue ... if you want better - then it means choosing a vehicle brand that has them ... Not having disc brakes is not a failing by a manufacturer ... its just an option they dont provide.

If you have a need for a certain engine capacity and towing capacity ... again like the brake issue ... buy a vehicle designed to be capable of the use you will give it.

Probably not much help but ... the biggest concentration of mahindras I have seen is at Merriwa in NSW.

Now I dont know whether the bowling club used them instead of meat trays in their raffles or not ... but maybe a call to the dealer there might net you a list of names of owners to give you first hand info.

AnswerID: 406099

Follow Up By: Member - Andrew (QLD) - Friday, Feb 26, 2010 at 09:07

Friday, Feb 26, 2010 at 09:07

Thanks mate for the discussion, some good thoughts.

BTW one of the dealers up here will customise them to "mines spec" and in the end some say they look like the new cruisers. LOL

Andrew

FollowupID: 675782

Reply By: Injected - Friday, Feb 26, 2010 at 09:01

Friday, Feb 26, 2010 at 09:01

Andrew,
You could get in contact with other emergency service orgs and ask them what do they drive?
As for drum brakes in the rear, thats pretty standard in dual cab utes such as the navara D40 with 3 tonne rating (towing), I think the Hilux's is the same ( drum rear)
Cheers.

AnswerID: 406101

Follow Up By: Member - Andrew (QLD) - Friday, Feb 26, 2010 at 09:17

Friday, Feb 26, 2010 at 09:17

Thanks injected for the info about drum brakes. I guess i'm a bit naive about it as i was lead to believe everyone used discs now.

Standard Vehicles for us at the moment are generally 11 seater Troop Carriers, and plain 4wd dual cab utes of all brands. The troopie is common as it carries more people, though we want to stay away from them as they have poor comfort for the passengers, and safety is of concern. Whilst they carry more people than other vehicles, there are numerous times we carry only 5 members and then they become oversized. Many Councils will not allow anything to be carried in the back of them, so a trailer is required.....defeats the purpose in some regard. Multiple smaller vehicles are much more useful than one larger vehicle these days IMO.

Andrew

FollowupID: 675784

Follow Up By: Member - ross m (WA) - Friday, Feb 26, 2010 at 12:42

Friday, Feb 26, 2010 at 12:42

The only real benefit of disc brakes is they are easier to maintain and lose heat quicker,which means less fade under extreme conditons.
Drums stop you just as quick in most cases.

With the expected low klms they will clock up ,I cant see them being a problem.

Im not sure if they have to be diesel,but Great Wall would be in the same price range(and safety range).
Their utes look bigger in the ads,dont know if they really are though

FollowupID: 675824

Reply By: Member - A J- Friday, Feb 26, 2010 at 12:00

Friday, Feb 26, 2010 at 12:00

Andrew (QLD) - have not got a mahindra and was wondering if you have considered the Ssangyong Actyon Sports 100 series.

2 litre motor - 104 kw - 310 newtons - towing 2,300

A J

AnswerID: 406139

Follow Up By: Member - Andrew (QLD) - Friday, Feb 26, 2010 at 17:27

Friday, Feb 26, 2010 at 17:27

No i hadn't.....can't spell the thing LOL

We'll have a look, thanks.

Andrew

FollowupID: 675867

Follow Up By: Member - Andrew (QLD) - Friday, Feb 26, 2010 at 17:32

Friday, Feb 26, 2010 at 17:32

Just had a look....no dealers within 300km which is a worry. I don't know how they would go with an aluminium trayback which is what we need.

Thanks for the idea, will talk is over,

Andrew

FollowupID: 675869

Reply By: Angler - Friday, Feb 26, 2010 at 21:25

Friday, Feb 26, 2010 at 21:25

I have a mate who has one and he loves it. He has had it for quite a while now and get great economy, particularly on a trip. Apparently it likes front tyres with the oem ones wearing out fairly fast. Maybe an alignment would have helped.

Other than that all good. He did report there has been one engine failure that happened in OZ so far. Failed due to a valve dropping into the cylinder.

AnswerID: 406214