On the Road - Initial Thoughts

[emax]

As well as a cheeky message telling me to keep my eyes on the road

That's funny. The thing triggers you to read a message on the display which tells you that you shouldn't do so.

 

[Logsplitter]

Took delivery Saturday of a Grenadier Utility Petrol and have now driven 170 miles home plus 30 miles locally. Key points:

1) Very smooth on the road - relaxing, quiet (no rattles and little wind or road noise) and easy to drive.
2) Steering as expected with its rugged old school design is in my view ‘spongy’ and requires concentration at high speed. Cornering is very good compared to G-Wagens and Landrovers. This doesn’t feel like driving a shed when you come to a chicane. I’ve yet to test the limits though.
3) Brakes are excellent
4) Vision is good through mirrors and side windows. Rear vision via door is poor as expected.
5) MPG of 24 on run of 170 miles at between 50 and 70 mph
6) “The Bulge under my left foot” - At over 6ft once I’d adjusted the steering and seat was fine - perhaps not perfect but not worth worrying about
7) Windscreen wipers - Not an issue
8) Engine - terrific - quiet, powerful and always responsive. Surprisingly nippy at overtaking (can’t believe I am saying that).
9) Door closure - these do not close gently and require a fair degree of effort as does the bonnet. As I discovered failure to close the door will prevent you from driving away
10) Warnings - the number of warnings appearing on central display is alarming at times.
11) Lack of central speedo - I think this is an improvement as your eyeliner is less cluttered. Speed is easily seen in central display
12) Rear loading bay - would have preferred rubber matting to slippy tray where anything lose slides around
13) Quality - I’m not into fine detail like some but panel gaps all look fine to me.

I am delighted with the vehicle although some of my options remain outstanding so will have to have these fitted at a later date. Given the Ineos story I can accept this especially as they seem to have created something special.

NB. My tips for the doubters, sign the contract, don’t change your order, pay when asked and be patient. You will ultimately be very very happy with your decision.

As per your summary and slippery load bay. I would be interested in a load liner for the 2 seat utility if any aftermarket supplier comes up with one.

 

[JohnHeagney]

I feel better now! My wife was mortified and she had the manual trying to figure it out. All good fun as long as the bonnet is still intact!

I took a photo and was about to WhatsApp it to the dealer - but the penny dropped!

 

[Eric]

I had the same red bonnet sign when I drove away having picked it up, it took me 4 miles to work out what it was and did the same as you!

now that is what Ineos would class as "operator error"

 

[Eggenburg]

Samsung user here. I have the money for an iPhone, but don't like the the apple closed operating system. Android is so much more versatile, and the top Android phones have better cameras on the whole than Iphones

Thought we talk about Grenadiers……

 

[DCPU]

I took a photo and was about to WhatsApp it to the dealer - but the penny dropped!

The bonnet seems to have a double catch. When pulling the release lever it's marked to pull twice and maybe that's not just to make sure.

I failed to close the bonnet first time and it seems it won't then click closed if you do the usual thing of pressing down firmly. It took a drop from a good 5~6 inches to close first time.

I was surprised at the weight of the bonnet, it's really light. Far lighter than my old Defender.

 

[DCPU]

When you say warnings, is it the central screen or the “wand” sound? In mine, the wand sound will go off occasionally but I can’t understand why. If you don’t shut the rear doors properly it goes off be with a repeater message on the screen.

"wand" sound ~ perfect. I was thinking of how to describe the noise and that's spot on. Is it your term, or is it an Ineos term?

 

[Ever Pragmatic]

"wand" sound ~ perfect. I was thinking of how to describe the noise and that's spot on. Is it your term, or is it an Ineos term?

Mine…. I’ve always wanted to be a wizard …

 

[BD1]

24mpg on the petrol not bad at all!

This is about 20 mpg US

 

[Krabby]

This is about 20 mpg US

I'll take it! The 10-12 I was getting out of my 80-series was tough.
On the highway my F150 Raptor got about 18.

 

[Ingemar]

As well as a cheeky message telling me to keep my eyes on the road a variety of warnings. Sometimes when it starts there are none and sometimes several. Ranging from something about the Emergency Call System to Power Steering. I resorted to the ages old trick of closing the windows, turning the engine off and rebooting. The warnings didn’t seem to have any connection to reality.

having now close to 10.000km on my Grenadier, I found out that all messages were nuisance warnings. And they get less. Right now hardly anything coming up except "telltale speaker" not working on 1 out of 10. on the next engine start that's gone. I am confident those things will be fixed with the upcoming software updates. recently met an engineer who is working on those problems and he said they are preparing updates for that!

I had no issues with the bonnet-warning.
what I have seen but never was an actual warning:
- eCall error
- Transmission error (disappeared as soon as you select "D/R")
- Powersteering (gone after seconds)
- telltale speaker (only persisting and the you don't have sounds for indicator etc./gone at next engine start - latest)

And yes: the doors need some effort to close (probably because of the double-seals ) but you can still start moving as long as you seat belt is on! seat belt off AND door open prevents you from driving...

 

[DCPU]

As well as a cheeky message telling me to keep my eyes on the road

This one?

 

[ADVAW8S]

This one?

View attachment 7810096

This is a polite heads-up, kinda like when your mom told you to put on clean underwear. so, if you got run over, the coroner thought you were a good kid who died in a bad situation.

 

[DCPU]

I took a photo and was about to WhatsApp it to the dealer - but the penny dropped!

I think if you are not moving then it looks like this when it's open:

 

[CountyV8]

This one?

View attachment 7810096

COLD????I think they mean Could.

 

[Krabby]

having now close to 10.000km on my Grenadier, I found out that all messages were nuisance warnings. And they get less. Right now hardly anything coming up except "telltale speaker" not working on 1 out of 10. on the next engine start that's gone. I am confident those things will be fixed with the upcoming software updates. recently met an engineer who is working on those problems and he said they are preparing updates for that!

I had no issues with the bonnet-warning.
what I have seen but never was an actual warning:
- eCall error
- Transmission error (disappeared as soon as you select "D/R")
- Powersteering (gone after seconds)
- telltale speaker (only persisting and the you don't have sounds for indicator etc./gone at next engine start - latest)

And yes: the doors need some effort to close (probably because of the double-seals ) but you can still start moving as long as you seat belt is on! seat belt off AND door open prevents you from driving...

Did your truck get the infamous "software update" that was allegedly holding up deliveries?

 

[Eric]

COLD????I think they mean Could.

A mistake like that should never have got through, must have lost something in the Chinese - English translation

 

[DaveB]

The bonnet seems to have a double catch. When pulling the release lever it's marked to pull twice and maybe that's not just to make sure.

I failed to close the bonnet first time and it seems it won't then click closed if you do the usual thing of pressing down firmly. It took a drop from a good 5~6 inches to close first time.

I was surprised at the weight of the bonnet, it's really light. Far lighter than my old Defender.

Isn't the bonnet aluminium??
Same as the doors

 

[IG_in_AZ]

COLD????I think they mean Could.

Best China Engrish!

 

[Jean Mercier]

This is about 20 mpg US

... everybody on metric instead of gallons or other gallons? And divided by 1,2345 or something like that or 3/5 or 7/8 or 11/13 ... oooh shit, I don't know anymore