Tata Safari Dicor 2.2 LX VTT-TMT [The Magnificient Tourer] - the first 2.2 on T-Bhp

[Rohit26]

Hey ADC, An amazing write-up..Same story goes with me more or less.I too used to drive my friend's bullet in X std.But i ended up buying RX-135 no regrets instead more happy.My only dream car Tata Safari was always in my heart since its launch.Peoples used to say TCIC is under-powered,sluggish,huge,show-off but nothing would stop me buying Safari.One day put a call to TATA showroom,the sales guy seeing my heartily attachment with the vehicle gave me the most secret-valuable suggestion,Sir wait for two-months new more powerful DICOR 3.0 is coming.Waited for two month for launching,another 1 month for 4X4 version.Finally a kid's dream came true in oct-2005.
Its more easy to put comments unless you own SAFARI.Its royal pleasure to drive this vehicle even ENDY,CR-V don't appeal me..Its minor niggles are jingle bells to me...

Respect to ALL..

[adc]

Originally Posted by Rohit26

Waited for two month for launching,another 1 month for 4X4 version.

Hey thanks, but why are we yet to see some pictures of your Safari, post some of the best in the Safari pictures thread ASAP.

Let me post another classic VTT-TMT pic that should be also over here in this ownership thread. These snaps bring back so many memories!

[adc]

Safari Dicor VTT-TMT is right now, at this moment, on a Grand Celebration Travel covering the most inhospitable and rough areas Sikkim , namely Tsongmo Lake and North Sikkim.

The occassion - 1.5-year ownership celebration of a fantastic vehicle.

Sikkim right now is being deluged with storms and rain. Yesterday we travelled to Tsongmo [Changu] Lake after somehow convincing the police for permits. No private vehicle is allowed.

So again a first - the first Safari 2.2 to go to Tsongmo Lake.

Among all the Sumo and Maxx taxis going, Safari VTT-TMT was easily the odd vehicle out, with pvt registration plates and self driven.

As were proceeding, suddenly heavy rain and snowfall and the taxis were not allowed to proceed till the lake. But again by chance VTT was between a Army big truck with snow chains and all and a Army 4wd Gypsy. Thinking that we are a part of convoy they let us through - may be also a remote chance the pseudo-military Cycus Gray colour also helped!! Reached the lake after much sliding from one edge of the road to the other on the bridgestone HT tyres with a rear tyre having one side worn off - a fantastic and equally exhilirating one hell of a rough and slimy road. Later on in between there was break in bad weather and then again some taxis were allowed and again the weather suddenly turned bad and the flow of taxis were restricted once again.

Fantastic pictures and all coming up later in the travelogue. Using the Airtel datacard as such bandwith is quite less.

Some notable experiences till now:

1. A overnight journey through the quite smooth to okay NH34[!!!] from Calcutta to Gangtok in 15 hours approx with breaks in between. Started around 830 pm and reached Gangtok around 1030 am. NH34 is smooth like it has been never before but night journey has to be done as it gets crowded big time otherwise during day hours. Extended periods of 100-130 kph is possible between 1 am to 4 am.

2. Hanuman Tok, Ganesh Tok, Himalayan Zoo - for snow leopard and red panda and the civets.

3. Tsongmo Lake in one of the most rough day with snow all through. The whole lake area was completely covered with snow and as we spent the day over there, most of hours snowfall and/or rain was there. But again to go through these kind of weather and come through is another unique experience - absolutely missing on a clear day.

4. As of today heading of to Rumktek and Jagri falls and later again run for permits for N Sikkim. This is hard to come by and the convincing is going on with the administration authorities.

Again some huge pictures coming up later when possible.

And one thing more, let me repeat again for the all the doubters, clear and loud, Safari VTT-TMT ain't something to mess with!!

[HappyWheels]

So, it starts!

Hope you get time to write more soon, ADC.

Really interested in your 'ice' ride!

First thing after coming back (and after due rest) should be the photos!

[4x4addict]

Originally Posted by adc

Reached the lake after much sliding from one edge of the road to the other on the bridgestone HT tyres with a rear tyre having one side worn off

How did this happen? Is it alignment issues? I remember a while back recurring alignment issues was something that use to plague Tata MUV/SUVs. I thought they had sorted this out.

[MileCruncher]

@ADC: Nice report. Look forward to extensive report.

Cheers and All The best for the rest of journet.

Regards

[adc]

Originally Posted by 4x4addict

How did this happen? Is it alignment issues? I remember a while back recurring alignment issues was something that use to plague Tata MUV/SUVs. I thought they had sorted this out.

No hasty conclusions or judgements. Those days were only for the first edition Sumos and that is quite a few years back.

If you had read well through the complete LTOR,

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/long-...ml#post1195593

Originally Posted by adc

From there we reached Calcutta, travelling around 600 km with no more incidents but after coming home saw that for the right front tyre one side was wearing off faster and there was some very slight bubbling which can be only felt while driving at a uniform speed and it was transmitted to me through the steering.

Went to the *** and though told them nothing about this incident - was afraid would lose warranty, instructed them to check why the tread is not wearing off uniformly, told them to check everything [torsion bar et al] on the right front tyre and also the suspension links on the rear back tyre. Nothing was amiss, just the front wheel alignment was wrong and they did it well, went for a long test drive with the service advisor and I was satisfied. Still don’t believe nothing happened other than some alignment problem after that thing. Anyway, can’t complain, the SUV is back to its former self, uniform tread now and no bubbling.

That rear tyre was actually the driver side front tyre and the alignment was lost - obviously if you hit a 3 inches height divider at 110 kph and have 2 tyres on top and 2 tyres on the road - still amazed that nothing else happened.

[adc]

After much running around and convicing, finally got the permits for Gurudongmar and Yumthang - but with caution that roads are very snowy and can get stuck - the roads just opened today tentatively. Excitement is already on full blast.

So will be off from internet and telephones for the next 3-4 days.

[HappyWheels]

Have a wonderful and a safe trip, ADC.

[adc]

Right now back in the Gangtok hotel, after a trip that went beyond all expectations - VTT again bringing us back from the most hostile envoirnments that are possible , 17200 feet at Gurudongmar, ice and snow storm at Chopta Valley, slimy ice and snowy roads at Yumthang and Katao, and a night 6-hour journey from Lachung to Gangtok on a thunderstorm and rain deluged, landslide blocked and diversion filled roads.

Whatever may be your vehicle, you hope you dont get stuck with even a small puncture or whatever at 15000 feet Chopta valley with a ice storm chasing you at 60 kph and one has to drive around 65-70 kph on a rock and boulder strewn trail or whatever. Damage - Later in the hotel at Lachen see a front tyre sidewall tear, some 1/3 thickness way down, but luckily no puncture. Also the LX sticker letters fell off.

Should not have gone there at 3 pm and it was foolhardy bravery with a small child and we two, not a single vehicle or man lives out here at this time of the year.

Will start the travelogue once back in Calcutta.

[HappyWheels]

That is some adventure you have gone thru.

Looking forward to the travelogue.

[adc]

Originally Posted by MileCruncher

@ADC: Nice report. Look forward to extensive report.

Cheers and All The best for the rest of journet.

Regards

Originally Posted by HappyWheels

Have a wonderful and a safe trip, ADC.

Thanks a lot for those wishes and definitely helped me out to come out somewhat okay from the sinister looking Chopta Valley - that picture is still etched in our minds, a snow hail chasing us and you can literally feel it on the rear view mirror and the dark ice mountains getting blurred fast. It is a cold and absolute desolate place - imagine seeing a waterfall frozen halfway down - it has turned to ice in the middle.

In a single span of 5-6 hours, one has to climb from 8300 feet to 17500 feet and AMS hits one and everyone.

Again thanks for those wonderful wishes - definitely a exclusive and exotic tour, and surely a journey beyond comparison.


PS: Back in Calcutta now safe and sound.

[SS-Traveller]

Hi adc: Looks like (sounds like) you had great fun. Snowstorm froze your camera?

OT: FYI, tentative plan - driving to CCU 2nd - 3rd May.

[adc]

TATA SAFARI Dicor Journeys done till now 2007-2008- till Jan 2009
1. NORTH BENGAL FOREST AND HILL TOUR [LAVA-LOLEGAON-KALIMPONG[DELO]-SUNTALEKHOLA-JHALDA/BINDU-MURTI-KHUNIA/CHAPRAMARI/GORUMARA FOREST]
2. ORISSA'S UNKNOWN FORESTS [KULDIA-SATKOSIA-BANGRIPOSI] [ Team-BHP - The Definitive Indian Car Community (Orissa's Unknown Forests [Kolkata-Kuldia-Satkosia-Bangriposi-Kolkata] -->> Part 1) (Orissa's Unknown Forests [Kolkata-Kuldia-Satkosia-Bangriposi-Kolkata] -->> Part 1) --and--
Team-BHP - The Definitive Indian Car Community (Orissa's Unknown Forests [Kolkata-Kuldia-Satkosia-Bangriposi-Kolkata] -->> Part 2) (Orissa's Unknown Forests [Kolkata-Kuldia-Satkosia-Bangriposi-Kolkata] -->> Part 2) ]
3. SANTINIKETAN
4. HALDIA AND GEONKHALI
5. KENDUGARI AND HATIBARI [WEST MEDINIPuR FORESTS]
6. PATHRA, MIDNAPORE
7. DIGHA, MANDARMONI
8. PANCHALINGESHWAR AND KHUMKOTE TANK, ORISSA
9. MONSOON TOUR 08 - I, PURULIA - MURGUMA, KAIRABERA AND CHORIDA
10. MONSOON TOUR 08 - II, GADIARA
11. KINNAUR, SIPTI, LAHAUL [SAFARI DICOR GRAND ONE-YEAR CELEBRATION] -[Kinnaur-Spiti-Lahaul]) Team-BHP - The Definitive Indian Car Community (Safari Dicor 2.2 VTT-TMT Grand One-Year Ownership Travelogue [Kinnaur-Spiti-Lahaul])
12. Orissa Remote forests, Sunabeda and Debrigarh - Team-BHP - The Definitive Indian Car Community (Safari Dicor LX VTT-TMT Xtreme Travel - Orissa's Unkown Forests: Debrigarh & Sunabeda)
13. GARPANCHOKOT, WEST BENGAL
14. DALMA WILDLIFE SANCUATARY, JHARKHAND

15. REMOTE NORTH SIKKIM HIMALAYAS TO BAY OF BENGAL SEA BEACH [MANDARMONI & TAJPUR]
https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/trave...ni-tajpur.html [SAFARI DICOR VTT-TMT GRAND 1.5-YEAR OWNERSHIP CELEBRATION]



And with the travel log now updated, I am in big big dilemma - whether to stop all travels now till September and save up for the Ladakh tour or to go with a 8-day tour this June summer and if possible another in the monsoon season. Each and every tour before any September Ladakh tour will put that tour in absolute jeopardy, fund wise - things are quite tough now and rougher for a freelancer. Decisions, decisions ...!!

Anyway a superlative performance from the Safari VTT, proving once again that VTT product is an absolute fantastic machine - a qualitiative and quantitative jump from the previous 3.0 model.

Safari VTT-TMT has seen it all in these 1.5 years much beyond what its odometer [30k servicing coming shortly] would signify - from no roads to concrete expressways - and has brought us back to safety, home and/or the hotel base, safe and sound each and everytime without fail.

The space and comfort of sofa driving, the endless cruisability, and the fantastic torque and ground clearence - has made me make a journey of all terrains in this 2wd. And to thank Tata Motors to make me just stretch and afford something like a big-sized SUV[with claddings] for 7.2 L ex-fac!! - otherwise I would be driving up a sedan or hatch till now.

So are we not glad that we chose the Safari 2.2 VTT over other products - You bet we are!!!

Two classic photos that must be in this ownership thread - and of course a whole lot are there in the travelogues and in the garage photo list.

[himanshugoswami]

Originally Posted by adc

Two classic photos that must be in this ownership thread - and of course a whole lot are there in the travelogues and in the garage photo list.

Attachment 132884

IMHO, this pic says it all.....beautiful, simple and full of emotions. You should seriously consider sending it to TML for their ad campaigns.