10 Dummies guide to Gurkha ~ 17000 kms done

[blueblooded]

Originally Posted by rhandle

Lets meet up and I will tell you why not to buy Gurkha

and may be show you along the way why to buy the Gurkha

Join NIOC group and you would see many jeeps and good 4x4 in action which would enable you to compare it and vis a vis other vehicles and ensure you are buying what is logical for you and not just because you have heard about it.

i have been following the your threads for some time now .well planning to buy a gurkha soon.
even if it means emptying my bank account

[rhandle]

My gear lever has now lot of play. Can anyone suggest any solution. I was also speaking to one of the person in the dealership who advised about Merc. gear lever with console kind of stuff for both 4x4 and Gear lever. Expected price change quoted is 4-5K INR. Do let me know what you guys think.

Originally Posted by blueblooded

i have been following the your threads for some time now .well planning to buy a gurkha soon.
even if it means emptying my bank account

Why Dont you wait for 6 months or more. My vehicle has done 27K and am sure by end of this year would complete another 10K so overall you would be having a report of vehicle which has covered 37-40K kms and done few number of OTRs.

Also who knows you might be able to lay your hands on new OM611.

[4x4addict]

Originally Posted by rhandle

My gear lever has now lot of play. Can anyone suggest any solution. I was also speaking to one of the person in the dealership who advised about Merc. gear lever with console kind of stuff for both 4x4 and Gear lever. Expected price change quoted is 4-5K INR. Do let me know what you guys think.

Your best bet is to change the bushings for the lever to decrease the play. I am not sure where the dealer can source the merc lever/console etc. This would have to come from the older G-wagen and I doubht you will get that for 4-5K INR. The M-Class has electric 4WD so no lever.

[roorkeewal]

There was a discusion about Gurkha overheating problem. Well, do you guys thing if this can be solved by fitting a larger radiator? At last this solved overheating issue with my erstwhile PP 137D Diesel car. Just a thought.

Mohan, Thanks to you. Your experience reminds me of the days when we had that "built-for-pain" car, Premier padmini 137D (Diesel) which had only issues and reasons to be stalled on road exactly when we were either in hurry or travelling with family. I recall once I had to buy a new bicycle-tupe to replace the hose pipe and open the radiator cap to reach back home. Ahh, what a mess were those days. I finally parted with this mistake of engineering minus technology!

Rhandle, can we meet one of these days, I am in your neighbourhood. I can have a chance to admire your Gurkha. Your suggestion of waiting for 6 months works for me. In the mean time, I will enjoy my newest possession, a modified 1974 model Royal Enfield bull. Whew! What a beauty this is!

[Torque-ative]

Rahul,..does the lever slot when called to duty in a hurry,..if yes then forget about the play !!learn to work your wrist (speaking from expierience),..and you box should be just fine !! Bhai,..you need rto get a proper torque-wrench,..and a set of 4 Mud tread tyres ,..that's it !! You will soon know what I am talkingabout your geo's for the road and the real TEETH for the OTR's !! Also we need to fix your inner demonsz when it comes to slush,..cos apart from this you are pretty much the boss of the most challenging terrain that the aravallies have to throw at you !!

[rhandle]

Originally Posted by 4x4addict

Your best bet is to change the bushings for the lever to decrease the play. I am not sure where the dealer can source the merc lever/console etc. This would have to come from the older G-wagen and I doubht you will get that for 4-5K INR. The M-Class has electric 4WD so no lever.

I do not know exactly what he is talking about but next weekend I am going with him to that place. 5K for lever and console seems too much for me especially if its old one. Also other thing I want to change is the channel on which front passenger seat moves. The front passenger seat is not very comfy for tall people.

Originally Posted by roorkeewal

There was a discusion about Gurkha overheating problem. Well, do you guys thing if this can be solved by fitting a larger radiator? At last this solved overheating issue with my erstwhile PP 137D Diesel car. Just a thought.

Rhandle, can we meet one of these days, I am in your neighbourhood. I can have a chance to admire your Gurkha. Your suggestion of waiting for 6 months works for me. In the mean time, I will enjoy my newest possession, a modified 1974 model Royal Enfield bull. Whew! What a beauty this is!

My Problem has solved after fitting fans in front. You will find the details in this thread I guess on page 11. APS Grewal is also working on some technical rationale to remove this problem, and we are all eagerly awaiting his views and results once he completes that.

I will PM you my number and we can chat any time you want.

I love Bull. I have 500 ES. Am up for ride anytime, lets make a prog. for this as well!

Originally Posted by Torque-ative

Rahul,..does the lever slot when called to duty in a hurry,..if yes then forget about the play !!learn to work your wrist (speaking from expierience),..and you box should be just fine !! Bhai,..you need rto get a proper torque-wrench,..and a set of 4 Mud tread tyres ,..that's it !! You will soon know what I am talkingabout your geo's for the road and the real TEETH for the OTR's !! Also we need to fix your inner demonsz when it comes to slush,..cos apart from this you are pretty much the boss of the most challenging terrain that the aravallies have to throw at you !!

There is no issue Navin bhai when slotting the gear. It's smooth. But once when slotted it can move a lot. I am also thinking about MT but then thats a lot of kharcha. in these 26K kms I have already replaced one set of tyres and alloys since moved up from 15 to 16" alloys. Got to sit tight, you know I am married and want to remain like that for some more time!!

There are many changes which I need to do in the interiors small ones, for example handles for rear passengers. Most probably would get them done in Noida where your Jeep is being done.

Going to Corbett tomorrow and hopefully might have few nice pictures of Gurkha and the roads for all!

[Traxter]

Nice thread..

Anyone knows where I can get the snorkel fitted, I have the Trax 4WD (not Gurkha).

[4x4addict]

Originally Posted by Traxter

Nice thread..

Anyone knows where I can get the snorkel fitted, I have the Trax 4WD (not Gurkha).

The tubes can be fabricated easily. The snorkel top can be bought from jjoyeb in the team-bhp classifeds section.

[Traxter]

Originally Posted by 4x4addict

The tubes can be fabricated easily. The snorkel top can be bought from jjoyeb in the team-bhp classifeds section.

Thanks very much 4x4

[Torque-ative]

Originally Posted by Traxter

Nice thread..

Anyone knows where I can get the snorkel fitted, I have the Trax 4WD (not Gurkha).

Wow @traxter is yours the even more elusive Trax Judo !!

Some pictures please. I genuinely feel that there is no other vehicle in India except from the Trax family which allows you to drive a hard-core off-roader as a daily driver.

[blueblooded]

well finally i have decided to wait for 6 months to buy gurkha.until then, i would be looking for some good old mm540

[GrayBerry]

rhandle
Awesome and thank you very much for your review & pictures of Gurkha. It seems to perfectly fit my requirement which goes as follows –
1. Reliability – my buy are always for a life time (I understand the teething problem – I ride a Royal Enfield bike, where the first 5k KM was a regret on buying a bike that was a rebel from my previous ride (RX 100). From 5K to 50K, was wondering as to why I delayed buying this bike. And from 50K till date wondering if I have deep enough pockets to own this bikeJ. Said and done, I love my bike and feel that I can never have a better bike. (Gurkha’s 300K KM - warranty cannot be ignored, I guess this is for the transmission and engine)
2. Touring – Need a good cruiser – I plan to have only one vehicle - daily commute as well for the weekends
3. Rugged – Will be doing hills and bad roads (read as off-roading)- this may require 4X4
4. Character – I want a vehicle with a personality – And yes Sumos are taxis and to me Safaris looks like a gay (Safari owners - no hard feelings, once I was a big fan of Safari as wellJ).
5. I love MM 540/550 – but would like to have a new vehicle, Now this lands me with Bolero or Gurkha
Anyways, I will take my time to choose one of these – Yes, OM611 will make a difference to me.
Looking forward to more of your reviews, comments and feedback. Enjoy your Gurkha my friend.

[4x4addict]

GrayBerry:

I was a big fan of the Gurkha myself and booked one. The main reason was very similar to what you have posted above. Unfortunately the Gurkha will not meet you needs as a sole vehicle, since there are some potential reliability and comfort/convenience issues with using it as your sole vehicle. Please read the whole thread and see rhandle's experience. He has given very honest feedback on the vehicle. It is a great off-roader, but that's about it. I understand your views on Scorpio/Safari but honestly these make far better and comfortable family cruisers if you are willing to look at it more practically.

The Gurkha maybe more capable than the Bolero in terms off-offroad hardware and a more powerful engine. However, if you look at overall cost of ownership, serviceability and parts availability, you are much better of with a Bolero if you can live with an underpowered engine and leaf springs up front for the 4x4 version.

If you still have spare cash, you can buy a jeep/gypsy/gurkha for your weekend off-road fun. If you have time, then you may want to wait until Mahindra launches the Thar in India, which I hope will happen some time next year. It is exactly what many of us need a good 4x4 which can also be your only vehicle for long trips/family holidays as well.

[rhandle]

Originally Posted by GrayBerry

rhandle
Awesome and thank you very much for your review & pictures of Gurkha. It seems to perfectly fit my requirement which goes as follows –
1. Reliability – my buy are always for a life time (I understand the teething problem – I ride a Royal Enfield bike, where the first 5k KM was a regret on buying a bike that was a rebel from my previous ride (RX 100). From 5K to 50K, was wondering as to why I delayed buying this bike. And from 50K till date wondering if I have deep enough pockets to own this bikeJ. Said and done, I love my bike and feel that I can never have a better bike. (Gurkha’s 300K KM - warranty cannot be ignored, I guess this is for the transmission and engine)

Well Warranty cannot be ignored true. I had got alternator replaces, Speed Sensor replaced, New Hose pipe, Rear spring leaf sets and recently (last week) idler arm. It's great to work with the force guys they do their work and take their warranty seriously. But then do you really want those many new pieces in your vehicle because they failed you? God forbids wht if it happens in a Jungle with nothing in sight for 30 miles. But that's the pleasure of staying in an overpopulated country - you are never at that kind of place. Gurkha is anyways over engineered I mean in a good way for most of the troubles one can throw in its way.

It has not yet failed me completely except for couple of occasions, I am yet to gain enough trust on this again for long drives.

Originally Posted by GrayBerry

2. Touring – Need a good cruiser – I plan to have only one vehicle - daily commute as well for the weekends

I do exactly that. After OTR, wash it grease it and you are off again with no trip to mechanic. Also you can go confidently to OTR in comfort.

Though about long trips -- It has not yet failed me completely except for couple of occasions, I am yet to gain enough trust on this again for long drives.

I would be starting soon by this weekend with a couple of 500 km runs. Am bit tired now as just returned back from a fast 5 day drive tour delhi -mumbai -delhi, but on Corolla since did not had courage to trust this machine with comfort and reliability with My dad being the only passenger besides me.

Originally Posted by GrayBerry

3. Rugged – Will be doing hills and bad roads (read as off-roading)- this may require 4X4

Tough beating a Gurkha here

Originally Posted by GrayBerry

4. Character – I want a vehicle with a personality – And yes Sumos are taxis and to me Safaris looks like a gay (Safari owners - no hard feelings, once I was a big fan of Safari as wellJ).

I own a Safari. I still like it's looks even after 4 years, and I had been it's fan since it was launched. Most comfortable Highway cruiser. I had Scorpio before Safari for 3 years and covered 125K kms on that before selling it. I would rate Safari higher than Scorpio.

BTW For people who want a vehicle with "Character" I suggest them to pick an OLD vehicle -Trax/MM550 or anything, spend 6 lacs (approximately 12000 per square feet) on vehicle and they will have vehicle which is just with them all over India. So at a total cost for what you will pay for a Gurkha you can build a vehicle more capable and with more character than Gurkha.

Originally Posted by GrayBerry

5. I love MM 540/550 – but would like to have a new vehicle, Now this lands me with Bolero or Gurkha
Anyways, I will take my time to choose one of these – Yes, OM611 will make a difference to me.
Looking forward to more of your reviews, comments and feedback. Enjoy your Gurkha my friend.

Wait for OM611. I usually do not recommend Gurkha to everyone, in fact anyone. If you really want one, then get one and whatever help I can be of I would be more than happy to do it.

Originally Posted by 4x4addict

It is a great off-roader, but that's about it. I understand your views on Scorpio/Safari but honestly these make far better and comfortable family cruisers if you are willing to look at it more practically.

110%. Please consider this. I am a rookie in 4x4 and my first 4x4 vehicle is Gurkha. I always thought off-roading is when you are not driving on road, and using 4x4 is simple, you encounter anything difficult just use the other gear lever (4 wd lever) and your vehicle would just cross over. I am learning and it's not easy.

Originally Posted by 4x4addict

The Gurkha maybe more capable than the Bolero in terms off-offroad hardware and a more powerful engine. However, if you look at overall cost of ownership, serviceability and parts availability, you are much better of with a Bolero if you can live with an underpowered engine and leaf springs up front for the 4x4 version.

Still I would prefer Gurkha over Bolero anyday. Overall cost of ownership with Gurkha is cheaper in the long run considering what you are getting - I would like to believe that!

Originally Posted by 4x4addict

If you still have spare cash, you can buy a jeep/gypsy/gurkha for your weekend off-road fun. If you have time, then you may want to wait until Mahindra launches the Thar in India, which I hope will happen some time next year. It is exactly what many of us need a good 4x4 which can also be your only vehicle for long trips/family holidays as well.

This is another very good suggestion. You can also look at Mahindra customization site. If you are not not gonna do extreme off-road then Safari, Scorpio would be more comfortable even a Xenon would do. If you want to do extreme hardcore off-roading then it is a waste spending that much money on Gurkha. You can buy a nice Honda City and an old Jeep for that amount of money. You do anything with the Jeep, abuse it to no end and it wont hurt. At times when you are taking a vehicle this costly to hardcore off-roading your heart burns thinking of the scratches it is earning on it's paint job every time you run through thick foliage.

My Advice - Think Again. Do not let Heart rule over Mind. Rest Your wish - and I would be glad to have one more friend with whom I can share my highs and lows of Gurkha (and also few secrets)!

[mohan]

Recently I had been to Ladakh ,where I fractured my leg trying to take a good photo .
Rahul, we must take our Gurkhas to Leh ,Ladakh,Khardungla as the drive would be one which we would always remember.
This place is a haven for off-roaders.
Hills,rugged terrain and beckoning slopes would greet you.
I cant describe you enough,just imagine a small kid's joy let lose in Disneyland.
I saw the use of an ice chain for the first time on a military vehicle.
So lets start making plans for the next year in advance,as now it would be very cold and icy and roads are mostly blocked.
I have already worked out a plan.
I know of a place in Leh where we could get good food,drinks and stay at a very economical price.I am in contact with a local who could guide us to less visited sites which we could cover with our Gurkhas.At some places we may have to stay in Tents
As I have seen the terrain and it's difficulties I know what gear we would need.
I saw many garages in Leh catering to all vehicle types including "Force" should we have any problems.
Leh's very low on Oxygen,but we may not have any altitude sickness as we would take a gradual ascent via Manali-Surchu-Leh. The problem of altitude sickness is real and one couple had to abort their travel and take a flight to Delhi for severe headache.
Grewal has reported a problem about Gurkha's cold start,we may have to face that too.
let me know.