Buying MM540 - Need Inputs

[akeel]

thank you parm and abhik...

very luck to get a jeep like this that to first time

[akeel]

@rippergeo

Thank you, I guessed so that it would be the same with old jeeps....

[yamaniac]

Originally Posted by akeel

@yamaniac,

Thank you bro....

Few things which i would like to ask as new to this jeep....

After a few distance guess about 20 + kms in bangalore city could feel the heat inside the cabin is this common??
The temp gauge shows up below 80...
and also the AC cooling will just go off with the engine heat in the cabin???

Need your inputs on this ??

I recently got my mm540 and took it for a road trip to chikmaglur. YES! from what I too noticed was it really gets damn hot inside the cabin area even if the temperature is below 80C. Feels so hot even with the windows down. I was sweating like crazy. But the jeeps performance was too good to be true. Loved it!

To resist heat Probably we could cover the ingine bay area with foam from letting the heat of the engine entering the cabin? Any Ideas?

[sreerajunnithan]

Trust me guys she much more beautiful than the pictures, Me and Akeel works in a same campus. Nad i saw his Jeep.

--Sree--

[Terrainsnooper]

Hello fellow-jeepers!
After a year of reading about jeeps and off-roading, I'd been mulling over the thought of buying a jeep for myself, and now I think I'm ready and matured enough(technically, financially and emotionally) to take the plunge.

I'll be buying a MM540 from down south in a couple of weeks and plan to drive it back to Pune. I have a few niggling thoughts and would appreciate some inputs from those who have been there, jeeped that.

1.> The owner says its a 96 model MM540 4WD with a 2.5l engine. (4-speed gearbox). I have asked him to look under the hood and give me the model number, but he's currently travelling and cannot do that. Is this the MM540 XD? (Not the DP, not the XDP, but the XD-from one of arka's posts) If it is, then I suppose it has the Puegeot Diesel XD3P (2498cc & 73 Bhp 15.5Kgm@2000) engine.Anyone here owning this model?

2.> Any first hand inputs on registering the above jeep in a urban RTO? If no, whats the possible work-around, assuming that all papers for this jeep are clear? ( I know the mental agony caused in getting it transfered, and i've been there before for my bullet) The answer to this question might affect my decision to buy it from another state and prolong my search for another jeep from within MH itself.

I've gone through the check-list of preparing for the drive back home with valuable inputs from some jeep-friends in pune and I'm excited about driving the jeep back alone. I'm sure it'll be a learning experience in many ways.

I'm not going to do any cosmetic mods for a long time, most of the efforts will be spent on improving the off-roading capabilities and the general condition of the jeep.

Looking forward to a mutually rewarding experience with all you chaps. Thanks in advance.

[mjothi]

Here comes the new addition.
For the RTO stuff, you can read the thread from Samurai.
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/indian...-rs-15-8k.html (Jeep re-registration woes: road tax Rs.15.8K)
Good luck.

[Terrainsnooper]

Originally Posted by mjothi

Here comes the new addition.
For the RTO stuff, you can read the thread from Samurai.
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/indian...-rs-15-8k.html (Jeep re-registration woes: road tax Rs.15.8K)
Good luck.

Thanks bro! I'll be on that side of the fence soon enough though, commenting on newbies like you did.

I missed that thread since its in the other forum. Going through it now.

[ksrinu]

mjothi, Any idea where we can see used 4x4 jeeps in Hyderbad. If already available please post the link.

Thanks in Advance.

[khan_sultan]

@Terrainsnooper: First of all, congrats and welcome to the world of 4x4 & off-roading. Once you get into off-roading, your world will be a totally different one.

Now, coming back to your query about the engine, I would suggest that you PM arka, MM440, behram.dhabar with your query. They would be able to help.

Cheers,

[Terrainsnooper]

Thanks Shahnawaz! I will PM them, it did look like a tricky question right from the start.
We'll be seeing more of each other here I guess. Cheers!

[VJ_MAVRICK]

@Terrainsnooper : All the very best to you in acquiring a jeep in the future and definitely the jeeper clan on the forum is on the rise and inhouse experts like Samurai,Khan_sultan,DKG,vikid,GTO,kittigadu,arka,h eaders etc ..the list goes on will give you nice inputs and Mahesh had rightfully pointed you to a thread in this regard so have fun and drive safe.

Originally Posted by ksrinu

mjothi, Any idea where we can see used 4x4 jeeps in Hyderbad. If already available please post the link.

Thanks in Advance.

srinu! Contact Krishna aka "kittigadu" on the forum for 4x4 jeeps in hyderabad as i believe he bought the beast there in hyderabad and he could be of help to you.

[hemanthisgreat]

Originally Posted by VJ_MAVRICK

srinu! Contact Krishna aka "kittigadu" on the forum for 4x4 jeeps in hyderabad as i believe he bought the beast there in hyderabad and he could be of help to you.

I think he is kittigadu's friend and i think he is the one who introduced him to the forum.

[4x4addict]

Originally Posted by Terrainsnooper

1.> The owner says its a 96 model MM540 4WD with a 2.5l engine. (4-speed gearbox). I have asked him to look under the hood and give me the model number, but he's currently travelling and cannot do that. Is this the MM540 XD? (Not the DP, not the XDP, but the XD-from one of arka's posts) If it is, then I suppose it has the Puegeot Diesel XD3P (2498cc & 73 Bhp 15.5Kgm@2000) engine.Anyone here owning this model?

Please confirm that it is indeed the 2.5L engine before you make shell out the cash for it. The models with the 2.5L engine are rare and I don't recall when they started offering it as an options. I am not sure how to recognize the difference between both engines since they are very similar. Maybe some of the experts in the forum can help.

The RC book generally gives the cc of the engine but I am not sure how much you can trust the RC book unless it is the original one and the jeep hasn't been registered in different states etc.

[sreerajunnithan]

Congrats Terrainsnooper and welcome to the club. Regarding the long drive back to Pune, there is a thread somewhere in this forum. But i am sure you might have read that since you started preparing from 1 year.

PS: I completely agree with you on satying away from cosmetics modifications for some time


Thank You And all the Best
--Sree--

[Terrainsnooper]

Hi Guys,

Got my Blue MM540 DP 4WD(1996 model). Bought it from Kerala and drove it alone, all the way back from Kerala to Manglore and then, to Pune on 27th Oct. No issues at all. The jeep has a great engine and the entire chassis and body has been recently painted, the soft top is also new.
The only issue is with the 2nd gear, it slips back to Neutral on its own, so you need to hold the gear in position till you shift to 3rd. (It was a pain in the ghats taking turns with one hand and holding the gear with the other, but it was only for a short while, phew!). Also the tyres were retreaded and bald, but looks like they have 500 kms left in them, so I took the chance since its not raining.
I took the Manglore-Agumbe-Shimoga-Harihara-NH4-Pune route; 865 kms in 19 hrs, nice and slow,the hum of the diesel engine and a wide smile on my face.
Precaution:
The handling is obviously different as compared to cars, but while overtaking, it was really crazy because the movement of the Jeep to the right and then to the left at around 70kmph was very unnerving, the Jeep doesnt want to be flicked around at that speed and it feels like the body is rolling to the right or left and I was almost oversteering it everytime, and maybe it was very evident to the oncoming traffic, since almost everyone was flickering their headlights at me. After a while I took it easy and overtook only when there is no oncoming traffic...that meant crawling behind trucks at slow speeds on 2 lane KA "highways", but better safe than sorry.

Next Day, Took it out to show my friends on Diwali, but the moment i started it, there was a sickening screech of the belt and then all was fine, but after some time i realized that the battery is not charging. Soon enough, the headlights drained the battery and on one particular amatuer attempt and climbing a slope on 3rd, the vehicle stalled. So after a couple of jump-starts(much to the amusement of friends), i realized that this needs to be fixed. So got the alternator checked and sure enough, there was a busted bearing,so no motion of the rotor, which means that the belt was just sliding over the alternator pulley. Replaced the bearing and it works fine now. The latest issue is diesel leaking from the fuel pump.

All in all, its a great vehicle. No cosmetic mods planned, except for wider tyres and a roll-cage. Bought for a shade under a lakh, my only expense so far has been on changing the oil, installing a windshield wiper, 112 litres of diesel and the alternator bearing. Repairing the pump and the gearbox are the next things on the priority list. Will post some pics over the weekend.
Will be a while before I can afford the tyres, so I'm going to lay low for a while. Till then, keep up the good work all you jeepers! Bye.