Long Term Review : 1994 Tata Sierra

[Dippy]

Car : Tata Sierra
Year of Manufacture :1994
Colour: Metallic Brown
Engine : 1948cc NA Diesel
Mileage when purchased : 30,000 kms
Mileage now 79,500 kms



The Tata Sierra was the first of its kind vehicle to hit the Indian market in 1991. It was the first car to come based on the 207 platform. *The initial cars were really bad which is the case with all Tata vehicles but later on the issues were sorted out. It was a brilliant concept with not so brilliant execution. My family however owns one so I thought of putting up this long term review.



The year was 1998 . My dog was getting bigger in size and fitting him into our Fiat was a major problem since we made quite a few out station trips..dog et all. So we started looking for a bigger car. Choosing the car wasnt difficult since my dad and me always fancied a Tata Sierra. Initially we thought of buying a new one but since the Sierra wasnt really depreciation friendly we went in for a pre owned one. After checking out a couple of cars, we narrowed down on a 1994 model. The car was in good condition , metallic brown in colour done 30 k on the clock clean interiors. We finalized the deal and took delivery on 28th April 1998. Here is a detailed look at all aspects of the car.

Looks



I have always loved the looks of the Sierra. It was the first macho SUV look type of machine. Not too big not too small but heavy it is at 1500 kgs. The huge fish tank like window is simply amazing. The view you get from the inside is out of this world.


The tail does seem a bit heavy bit blends well with the shape of the car.

Space and Comfort



The Sierra is virtually a bedroom on wheels. Humongous space is what its all about. The seats are very comfy and the legroom is the best you can get in any Indian car apart from the Amby. My dog can literally sleep in the leg room space. You never feel a bit tired even after long journeys and you come out as fresh as a daisy.



Boot holds the luggage well and the rear seats flip down to give you space for a double bed. The only uncomfortable part is the two door layout. Its decent to get in and out but can sometimes prove to be a tough task for elderly people

Interiors and AirCon



The interiors of the Sierra are very basic. The dashboard is nothing to boast about..its pretty ordinary and plasticky. No rounded curves or fancy stuff here. But its pretty functional. All the controls for the air con and stereo are well within reach. Power windows and central locking are standard but the sound of the windows going up or down are like listening to a food blender. Though some how my windows have become a bit more silent than before.



Instrument cluster is pretty simple . You have your speedo and tachometer ( a good feature) and the fuel and temperature gauges. The fuel gauge does tend to act a bit funny at times jumping up and down.

Air conditioning is one of the best in the business. Well it has to be good or the rear can really become a hot place with that fixed rear window. The aircon cools the cabin instantly . Two separate small vents are also provided for the rear passengers. Sierras are always known for their good aircons .

Engine, Gearbox and Fuel efficiency



The Sierra is powered by a 1948 cc NA diesel engine which pumps out 68 bhp. More power was added by giving it a Turbo in 1997 which upped the output to 90 bhp. However mine being a 94 model is non turboed. Tranny is a 5 speed synchromesh gearbox which is not bad *for a vehicle this size and I get smooth shifts. The car is sluggish and does knock in second gear but once your running smooth its pretty difficult to tell that there is a diesel engine under the hood. Infact I love the idling sound of a Sierra Sumo or Estate. The steering is pretty responsive and power steering is a boon . I can say that because I had driven the car once when there was a steering oil leak..Boy was that tough. Top speed achieved by me is 130 kph and the car gives me around 7-8 kpl with the AC in city driving.

Maintenance

Diesel cars are generally more expensive to maintain than their petrol counterparts. But service the car regularly at an authorised work shop and the car should work well. Till date the major expenses incurred on my Sierra are :

Suspension overhauled once
Radiator changed
Central locking system changed (Tatas niggling problems)
Diesel filters have to be changed must every few thousand kms
Regular servcing

Summing it up

The Sierra has served us well over the years. It has loads of space, extremely comfortable, ride quality is simply amazing, and the pleasure it gives you while driving is great tooBig bully you can call it. After driving the Sierra and the Scorpio I think the Sierra gives you a more macho feel. Sure its had its share of niggling problems but I thats part and parcel of it. Tata could have really done very well with this car had they developed it well. It got a 4x4 unfortunately just before its demise. Tata should have worked on a 4 door Sierra instead of introducing the Safari. But well..
My Sierra is very difficult to replace and if I were given a choice to buy a Scorpio , Safari or Sierra I would still buy the Sierra.. Theres just something about it !!
Like they say

TATA SIERRA .. ITS NOT OWNED.. ITS POSSESSED !!!!


Dippy

[shravan316]

Hey nice review Dippy.... covers up most of the aspects!

[amitoj]

awesome review, Dippy... makes one wonder why Tata stopped this beast!

[speedsatya]

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] (Dippy @ Nov. 19 2004,19:33)]The Sierra has served us well over the years. It has loads of space, extremely comfortable, ride quality is simply amazing, and the pleasure it gives you while driving is great tooBig bully you can call it. After driving the Sierra and the Scorpio I think the Sierra gives you a more macho feel.
My Sierra is very difficult to replace and if I were given a choice to buy a Scorpio , Safari or Sierra I would still buy the Sierra.. Theres just something about it !!
Like they say

TATA SIERRA .. ITS NOT OWNED.. ITS POSSESSED !!!!

wow that was a terrific report
looking forward to the 150000kms report

[aadix]

cool review dippy!
what the tyre size?? 195/70?

[Stratos]

Nice Review!! But I am confused about that colour...how can that colour be called Metallic BROWN???

[F50]

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] (Stratos @ Nov. 20 2004,10:29)]Nice Review!! But I am confused about that colour...how can that colour be called Metallic BROWN???

Then which color you think it is?



Nice Review Dippy. Sure its fun to muscle this beast around and its handy in scaring those ricks

[Stratos]

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] (F 50 @ Nov. 20 2004,10:39)]Then which color you think it is?

I didint knew Dark Grey was same as Brown for u F50!!

[F50]

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] (Stratos @ Nov. 20 2004,10:43)]I didint knew Dark Grey was same as Brown for u F50!!

How can it be grey * *Its brownish .... Come on Dippy owns that car from past 6 yrs im sure he knows what is the true colour of the car

[ported_head]

Great review, i had a friend who owned a Sierra, and used to give me rides in his car, when was younger. I used to see him sweat it out trying to engage reverse gear. I would love the back seat, and as the back had two separate miniature vents for air conditioning, pretty novel concept for that era.

No, but seriously, is that colour really called metallic brown? HOW? All i can see is a darker shade of grey, or a lighter shade of black, whichever way you like it.

[Stratos]

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] (ported_head @ Nov. 20 2004,11:27)]All i can see is a darker shade of grey, or a lighter shade of black, whichever way you like it.

Finally..someone...who can see colours as I can!!

[bhp]

nice review mate !!!
i think the color is greyish black . even the palio 1.6 gtx has this kinda color earlier

[shravan316]

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] (Stratos @ Nov. 20 2004,10:29)]But I am confused about that colour...how can that colour be called Metallic BROWN???

Hey, it doesn't quite look a metallic brown, but, if you observe the third pic, the front end of the car does look a deep brown, but, in the remaining pics the car looks a greyish black. Dippy what say??

[Deeps]

Cool review. But i thought there was a 5 door version of the seirra. Or may be not. I can't remember clearly. Anyways, abt the color. If you look at the bonnet and the fender in the first pic, it definitely looks brown. The other pics seem to show a greyish color. I think this might be due to the shade over the car when the pics were taken.

[Dippy]

Ok uys quit fighting over my baby's colour

Some call it grey and some brown but from how I look at it.. it does show a shade of brown. I dont however know what the shade is exactly called since I bought the car second hand. Exact colour spec might have been in the brochure

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] ]what the tyre size?? 195/70?

My Sierra runs on 205 Bridgestone Duelers

Dippy