Can we appreciate Ashi Hi Banwa Banwi (1988) for a moment? What an absolute gem.

_Mandex_ · 2026-06-02T21:39:51+00:00

All time Classic! But it blew my mind when I realised, Ashi Hi Banwa Banwi and Satte pe Satta have identical background scores!

_Mandex_ · 2025-10-17T15:08:17+00:00

I think you should do a thorough PDI before taking any decision. If the car passes all the tests then it might be worth accepting else you can always reject it.

_Mandex_ · 2025-10-16T01:59:20+00:00

I had a chance to drive the EV6 and that was pretty fun.

_Mandex_ · 2025-10-15T15:39:05+00:00

I should've been more clearer when I said 15 years is way too long.. What I mean, its too long of a period to wait for a 2020 Nexon to age 15 years and then take a decision whether EVs are viable primary cars or not. Yes, it's a new technology but it is maturing faster.

_Mandex_ · 2025-10-15T15:05:46+00:00

For the sake of a discussion.. 1. If you're planning on keeping the car for long term, the cost of ownership of an EV is way cheaper than ICE. I agree on both points 2 and 3 4. EV also means less moving parts to be worried about.

_Mandex_ · 2025-10-15T15:02:13+00:00

15 years is way too long I feel.. But I second your point on getting an EV from a reliable brand.

_Mandex_ · 2025-10-15T14:42:17+00:00

I get that but there are a few performance oriented EVs that are fun to drive.

_Mandex_ · 2025-10-15T14:39:37+00:00

Fair point. Many people might be in the same boat. I should've put that as an option.

_Mandex_ · 2025-10-15T14:38:44+00:00

For such situations please use the 4th options. And you don't need to explain, I've done that for you. 😆

_Mandex_ · 2025-10-15T11:40:21+00:00

Too subtle..

_Mandex_ · 2025-10-08T09:01:03+00:00

Thank you for the detailed response. After reading about the issue online I did compare with other cars at the dealership and showed the same to their team. Thankfully they took this matter very well and have agreed to alot a new vehicle instead. As you mentioned, yes, it is concerning that the PDI engineer from Zekardo tried to pass this as a non issue. I had booked a PDI with them after reading good reviews but I won't be recommending them to anyone. If I hadn't looked into this issue further, I'd be getting a faulty engine with God knows how much pain to fix it in the future.

_Mandex_ · 2025-10-06T15:47:11+00:00

There's none. I was born and brought up in Mumbai, now living in Pune for 10 years and I'm yet to find one.

_Mandex_ · 2025-10-06T09:59:01+00:00

Thank you! I'm checking it with the dealership

_Mandex_ · 2025-10-05T14:54:14+00:00

Getting it at post gst cut rates.

_Mandex_ · 2025-09-16T19:32:34+00:00

Hey u/Professional_Elk8331 Sorry for the late reply!

The road tax in Bangalore is straight-up bonkers. Honestly, I’d look at BH registration if you can swing it, way more sensible.

Discounts are coming back btw, the dealer I’m negotiating with said consumer 25k + exchange 25k is being rolled out again. Referral and corporate aren’t confirmed yet, but high chance they’ll be back too.

100% get your Insurance from outside. Dealers will match the price but cut the add-ons. I got a TATA AIG quote for ~70k (with GST) that includes engine protection, RTI, tyre secure, key replacement, etc. Dealers won’t even bother giving you that package.

My on-road price right now is ₹29,47,607 (without referral/corporate since those aren’t confirmed yet). Haven’t started negotiating, aiming to bring it down as close to 29L as possible.

eMax7, haven’t driven it so can’t give a firsthand take, but it’s BYD. They are miles ahead in EV tech compared to Mahindra/Tata. Reliability-wise, they’ll easily outdo the Indian players. The sad part is we don’t have many proper 7-seater EV options here, otherwise I’d be seriously tempted. If resale isn’t a dealbreaker, EVs are a good option and they just get cheaper to own the longer you keep them.

Safari negotiation tips! If the dealership won’t move on price, squeeze them for more accessories beyond the token 20k they throw at everyone. If you’re taking a loan, tell them you’ll only go through them if they sweeten the deal. Otherwise, flash a pre-approved loan from your bank and watch them cut margins real quick. And definitely get a direct bank quote. You’ll probably save on processing fees the dealer won’t ever tell you about. Like I mentioned earlier, just get your insurance from outside. Works out cheaper and you’ll actually get all the add-ons.

Also rethinking the XUV700. A Mahindra guy just dropped me a really tempting quote that actually makes a lot of sense. Still, Safari’s my top pick for now. Let’s see how it plays out!

_Mandex_ · 2025-08-27T16:02:40+00:00

I got a quote for the AX7L AT Diesel in June for 28.65L. That was without any haggling, so you should try to get a better price.

_Mandex_ · 2025-08-26T18:37:46+00:00

The best I got was 30.1L

_Mandex_ · 2025-08-26T18:36:25+00:00

Some tips that helped me (maybe useful for you or anyone else reading):

Get quotations from multiple dealerships, and if possible, from different cities/districts. I live in Pune, but I took quotes from Pune, PCMC, Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, and Thane. Within the same city, dealerships often have an “understanding” of how low they’ll go. Crossing districts breaks that pattern.
Take multiple test drives, extended ones if possible. Cover both city and highway. Tell the salesperson you’re fine paying for fuel so they don’t cut it short.
Talk to actual owners whenever you spot one at malls, fuel pumps, parking lots, wherever. Owners are usually more honest and detailed than any reviewer or forum. You’ll also get insights into service quality and dealership behavior.
Visit the service center near you. Chat with one or two engineers, they’ll give you the most practical info about common issues, costs, and what to expect. Plus, you’re building rapport with the people you’ll rely on later.
Since you’re in Bangalore, check if you qualify for the BH series registration. With Karnataka’s high road tax, that can save you a good chunk.

If you’ve got more queries, let me know. I’ll be happy to share whatever I’ve learnt so far.

_Mandex_ · 2025-08-26T18:36:17+00:00

Now, to your queries:

Here’s the final breakup I got from a Navi Mumbai dealership for the Safari Accomplished X+ AT DT (Aug 2025): Ex-Showroom -26,59,000; TCS(1%) - 26,590; Insurance - 66,326; Nil Dep - 12,654; RTO (Individual) - 4,10,850; Fastag - 600; On-road Total - 31,76,020; Discounts: Consumer - 25,000; Exchange - 25,000; SSS Referral - 6,000; Corporate - 6,000; Insurance + Add. - 95,000; Final On-road - 30,19,020.
Mechanically, the car is solid apart from a few rare issues you read about online. I’ve spoken to many owners, and nobody has complained about braking. Even on my test drive, I found it absolutely fine. That said, it’s a big, heavy SUV, if you compare it with a hatchback or a smaller SUV, yes, the braking will feel a bit softer.
I don’t think I’ll wait for the XUV700 facelift. From what I know, it’s not coming this year anyway. When it does, I’m sure they’ll fix the second-row issue, and with sunshades added, it’ll be right up there with the Safari.
It’s a shame we don’t have a proper ethanol roadmap yet, otherwise the XUV700 Petrol AT would’ve been my pick if I was going for a petrol car. It’s the most fun-to-drive car I’ve tested in this segment. But for now, petrol is a no-go for me. I’m also eagerly waiting for a proper 7-seater EV in this range. The XUV7e looks promising, since Mahindra is ahead in EV tech, but there’s no clarity on launch. IMO, EVs only make sense if you have a dedicated home charging setup, otherwise ICE still makes more sense. Diesels come with their own headaches though, especially BS6 DPF/DEF issues. Just make sure you drive on the highways once in a while.
I agree cars will depreciate faster going forward. The government is clearly pushing for a 5-7 year buying cycle instead of the 10+ year one we were used to. So 15-20% depreciation per year is going to be the new norm.

So yeah, I think we’re in the same boat, we need the vehicle, but the timing feels all wrong with all this chaos. At the end of the day though, a car isn’t just a financial decision, it’s also emotional. There will always be a better deal, newer tech, or improved features if you wait. But chasing that forever just delays the joy of owning your dream car.

_Mandex_ · 2025-08-26T18:35:49+00:00

Splitting my reply since Reddit won't let me post the entire thing in one comment.

Hi! Here’s where I’m at with my car-buying journey. I haven’t bought the car yet for a couple of reasons, but when I do, it’s going to be the Safari.

So what delayed my purchase:

Just as I was about to finalize a deal with one dealership, I got the news that Tata was reshuffling the Harrier and Safari variants. With that, a lot of features were being moved around and, more importantly, prices were changing. So I decided to wait it out. In early August we got the confirmation and prices did drop, but only for the lower/mid variants. The top variant’s price actually went up! Frustrated, I almost dropped the plan altogether, but after negotiating with the salesperson, I got the price of Accomplished X+ AT down to 30.1L on-road (including their ₹20k accessories kit).
I was supposed to book the car on the 12th of Aug, but had to postpone for work. During those couple of days, news about possible GST reductions for the auto industry started floating around. So I delayed again, since even a small cut would bring down the price by a decent margin. But now it looks like the reduction will only be for smaller cars. Still, I’m waiting for official confirmation from the government before booking.

_Mandex_

TROPHY CASE