Tata Safari EX-4x4 > 28000kms short term report.

[jaysmokesleaves]

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

You have a 1 million rupee vehicle which you use for fun, and in the process, you report a turbo pipe falling off, service light coming on, revs restricted, fuse blown - all in 28000 km - which is about 8 months of routine use for me. And you still say what you say below:

and in the same thread you say

IMHO you have actually greatly reduced my interest in the Safari. In the process of slapping critics and appreciating TASS attitude, you've highlighted so many of the negatives of owning one that I am on the verge of backing out of wanting to own one (I TD'd one last Friday).

You slap your critics on the face when people like me line up to buy the product whose virtues you are extolling, despite what the critics might say. I depend on owners like you to convince me that the Safari is worth shelling out 1 million for, and worth owning.

I hope I make my point clear without making any enemies...

SST >You never buy a vehicle because of or based on public opinion. I am least bothered if I failed to or managed to convince you to buy. I am no TML salesman here nor a critic. I own a Tata Safari and I have posted my experiences. You may make the turbo hose coming off sound like the engine fell off. I dont care much about peoples deductions either. When I got on to this forum to get information about a suitable vehicle I too saw the slew of bad press and horror stories about the Safari. I did not buy depending upon public opinion. The Safari made plain sense to my requirements.
I bought because I had NO option. If you ask me, honestly, till today, the Indian auto industry has not provided me with a suitable option, feature and price wise.

I am not one to get sleepless nights over a service light and spend 5 pages trying to re engineer a pipe. If there is a problem, the company ought to fix it. Its their job and their headache.
I have no interest in going deep into the technical details either. Every machine has potential for failure. I see that happening in the best engineered equipment in th world.

I am not here to convince you. You or any discerning buyer may put their million bucks wherever they like. The turbo hose never-fell off ! It disconnected from the turbo. I could still drive @ 80kph. So I make no mountains of it.
For what I know - I say - the way I use my vehicle, I know it has served me well and I am happy.
Lastly, I am not here to slap critics. Constructive criticism is good - but you need to know what you are constructing. Otherwise, its the easist thing to do, wag my tongue and put those fingers to fuelling fire.

Cheers.
J

[SS-Traveller]

Hey Jay: No hard feelings on a personal basis please!!! We as potential buyers post these comments in the hope and knowledge that these threads are actually studied by the bosses who matter in the manufacturing cos. I am sure QA and other folks at TML are reading this too, and hope they would take constructive action to remedy the major and minor faults as a result.

[jaysmokesleaves]

@ SST > certainly no hard feelings. Like I said, I am just sharing my views as an owner, which may differ from views of other owners. My posts are not inclined towards influencing anyones buying decision nor to mobilize support. Neither do I care what deductions what various readers may come up with after reading my posts. I am just sharing, thats all. The information may or may not be useful to anyone or no one.
Cheers.
J

[SS-Traveller]

@jay: Your (and all others') posts are a huge incentive/disincentive for other members like me to decide, even though you may not be bothered by it. More importantly, they are a big guiding beacon for the pundits at the co. to take preventive/rearguard action so that such things don't keep repeating in their product too often. I am personally grateful to you for sharing your experience, and would like to say a big thank you. Been also following Tanveer's reports very closely, as well as talking to adc at length about this. Once again, please don't take it personally if I go about unexpected failures in any vehicle, Safari or otherwise.

[jaysmokesleaves]

@SST > I doubt these so call co. pundits read these threads. This is an open forum and you are certainly free to express your views however sharp they my be. I certainly do not take any ones comments personally.
Once again cheers. Goodluck with your search.
J

[SS-Traveller]

Originally Posted by jaysmokesleaves

I doubt these so call co. pundits read these threads.

Trust me, they certainly do.

[HappyWheels]

Jay,

A straight-from-the-heart review.

You certainly knew what you wanted and what you are getting into and now you have no regrets and you are enjoying it to the core. Way to go!

Wishing you many more miles of happy motoring, both on and off the highway.

[Steeroid]

Originally Posted by tsk1979

or one like steers or mine with many critical parts being replaced every time you visit the service station!

Sorry - I had a few issues at the start, the rest of it during the last year are frankly due to other issues so I wouldnt classify mine alongside. Amongst other things, I certainly do not classify an LSPV adjustment issue as a 'disaster by design' - some of the issues you have picked up I agree with, some I am more skeptical about. But that is a very personal thing.

All details of my replacements (or retrofits) are available on the TASS online system - every part replaced, whether paid or under warranty and I can get the printout from my dealer and put it up here. I think we've discussed elsewhere how very few of the bits and parts allegedly (by dealer or others) replaced on your truck do not seem to feature on your vehicle's history - especially high value stuff like Common Rail Injectors and Fuel Pumps. There's something majorly amiss, but lets not discuss it here on JSL's thread. Meanwhile I wish you all the best with your truck.

[BlackPearl]

Great report jay. Wish you many more miles of happiness with your truck. Please post a few more pics if possible.

[jaysmokesleaves]

A few pictures from here and there.

Wading through a small river


Up at rajmachi


Somewhere in Chattisghar, by a lakeside in the forest




Forest in orissa. The Safari merging into the flora.

[anupmathur]

Originally Posted by jaysmokesleaves

Forest in orissa. The Safari merging into the flora.

LOL, that should read fauna, shouldn't it?
Considering we're talking about a formidable beast!

Super review, Jay!

[adc]

Like the 3rd pic, beast and beastmaster watching out each other's back!!

[anupmathur]

Originally Posted by adc

Like the 3rd pic, beast and beastmaster watching out each other's back!!

LOL, quite right!

but...what is the beast master doing, if it's not too rude to ask?!

[himanshugoswami]

JSL- one thing that caought my eye in your review was the fact that you left the car on with AC running through the night in neutral whole you slept-

did it have nay sort of effect on the engine in terms of over heating or anything in the morning? Normally one hears that idling with the AC on for long periods can cause a lot of stress on the engine, hence the question.

[Steeroid]

Originally Posted by himanshugoswami

JSL- one thing that caought my eye in your review was the fact that you left the car on with AC running through the night in neutral whole you slept-

did it have nay sort of effect on the engine in terms of over heating or anything in the morning? Normally one hears that idling with the AC on for long periods can cause a lot of stress on the engine, hence the question.

I'll try to answer that though I'm sure Jay will too - the answer is NO.

We've done the same on the Safari, I've also used the same technique while sleeping inside the car (truck) at gas stations while doing the Harare - Cape Town drive in a Nissan diesel bakkie, and a lot of people do this out in the desert as well. Just make sure the fresh-air intake is on, you dont want it to be in recirculating mode or you could end up dead (EDIT: in certain circumstances, there is documented evidence in newspapers of babies and children having died in vehicles after having slept inside with the a/c on).