Thinking of a new Gypsy: EDIT: Now Bought

[MileCruncher]

Originally Posted by COUGAR

Also isnt the Bolero Sportz a lot ocheaper than the Gypsy. Back in 2007, the BS3 version sold for 4.88 OTR and BS2 ver for 4.34l.

Hehe I wish it was. Now in Apr - May 09 The Bolero SLX DI Turbo was for 6.9 OTR with discount and Bolero VLX was 7.4 OTR with discount.

[sudev]

@Sawyer: Interesting option is new opportunity to buy second hand Grand Vitara from Maruti dealers. All of them will be selling GV and buying new one for test drive/demo model.
Last I know a very good piece was on sale at a reputed dealer in Delhi at 8lac. Instead of buying a Gypsy and doing further add on like a/c hard top etc. to me it is amazing value.

[COUGAR]

Originally Posted by Sawyer

Could one not ask to see the Maruti confirmation of readiness to despatch with chassis number, before handing over the full amount, to avoid this 3 month delay? Waiting 3 months after paying the full amount seems to be of another age!

Well i kinda fell for the salesmans assertion that the vehicel is ready for despatch: after 8 months the desperation levels were sky high!

Finally i had to call a friend from Maruti to get the necessary things done: my vehicle was prepared in such a hurry that even now some parts of the interiors have the khaki green military color instead of the Icy blue color it should be!

[nilanjanray]

Originally Posted by sudev

@Sawyer: Interesting option is new opportunity to buy second hand Grand Vitara from Maruti dealers. All of them will be selling GV and buying new one for test drive/demo model.
Last I know a very good piece was on sale at a reputed dealer in Delhi at 8lac. Instead of buying a Gypsy and doing further add on like a/c hard top etc. to me it is amazing value.

Sudev,

Do you have more info on this Vitara, and perhaps other 2nd hand GVs that are on sale? 8L sounds good...

[Sawyer]

I should be in a position to book the new Gypsy next week, fingers crossed! Here is the latest from Sai Services, one of their big dealers in Pune. Hardtops in all colors are available at the plant, ex stock. Soft tops will take 45 days from booking and advance payment of Rs 50000. Balance money has to be paid when the car leaves the plant.
Given what Cougar and some others have written here, and my unwillingness to wait for 6 - 8 months, and this latest input, I am thinking hard top.
I'd appreciate some inputs to help me decide, so thanks in advance for those that do give them.
1. Does a later conversion from hardtop to softtop only involve unscrewing the hard top, and putting a soft top cover? Is the frame to carry the softtop, including the "sunroof" over the two front seats, in place already, or does that have to be fabricated? And as someone has written, as long as the hardtop does not get taken off, rattles are not a problem with it.
2. Is the rear seat configuration different in a hardtop - I remember reading that they are front facing in a hardtop.
3. Other than cost reasons, is there any reason to not go down this path of buying a hard top, seeing how that works out, seeing how the AC issue is solved, and then modifying the car to a soft top if I still want to do that?
Again, appreciate the time taken to contribute.
Sha, thanks for your response to my PM too.
PS: Sudev, thanks for the GV idea. I test drove a new one last year, before I bought the Pajero, and was distinctly unimpressed at the refinement on offer. Internally, as well as in the engine, at that price point. For 8 lakhs used, it makes sense, but I am never sure of second hand, unless I know the owner as a friend. And for a car like the GV, it is even worse, the sales guys would have allowed horrors such as driving it on tarmac with the 4wd in locked mode. And potential customers do things with test drive cars, that they may never in their lifetime do once they have bought the car. Finally, I am not sure the GV will be usable for ten years on parts availability and local mechanics that can fix it. The Gypsy will, if nothing else, because the army continues to buy it in reasonably large numbers. It also has a rear wheel drive only mode, unlike the GV.

[GoSlow]

Sawyer - my opinion on your questions:

1. To remove the Hard top you can just unscrew it and remove it. There will be no fabrication required for a Soft top conversion. The frame and the soft top is available at all MAS. You can just buy these and get it fitted. This is what i have done when i converted my gypsy from hard Top to Soft top.

2. when I bought my Gypsy it had the same seat config as the soft top variant. Not sure about nowadays. I bought new side facing seats for Rs.2000 for the pair (not from MAS).

3. I think it is better for you to start with a Hard Top gyspsy. Living with a soft top is.... well, DIFFERENT. I know as I have had both. Both have their plus and minuses.

Hope my inputs help. All the best to you. The New gyspy King MPFI is a BOMB!! If you think 10kmpl is livable then forget anything else.

Cheers
Ankit

[Sawyer]

@Ankit - thanks! 10kmpl for the application I will use it for is very liveable. When the hard top is dumped, one automatically gets the permanent sunroof over the two front seats, is implicit in what you say, I think. Which will get covered if the softtop is installed. What I am asking is that no metal cutting will have to be done once the hardtop is removed.
HT is what it shall be, and I hope to get the booking done next week.

[GoSlow]

Originally Posted by Sawyer

When the hard top is dumped, one automatically gets the permanent sunroof over the two front seats, is implicit in what you say, I think. Which will get covered if the softtop is installed. What I am asking is that no metal cutting will have to be done once the hardtop is removed.

Sawyer - Always a plesure to helpa fellow Bhpian.

You comment is correct. If you remove the HT you will automatically have a sun roof over your head. In fact the only thing over the vehicle is the B pillar which is about 6-7 inches wide and in behind the front seats.

If you want to drop the front windscreen you can do that too. The are different mounts on top frame of the windscreen on a HT and a ST for dropping the windscreen. this can be changes at MAS too. It is only a plastic part.

Good Luck

Cheers
Ankit

[GoSlow]

Sawyer - the pics below should illustrate this better. The Black Gypsy is mine which was a HT to begin with. I have marked the windscreen mounts (in red) which will need to be changed to drop the windscreen as the hinges are aready there. I have also marked the B pillar, which you will also see in the second pic of the ST Gypsy.

[Sawyer]

Got it Ankit, thanks a ton! I see now why the hinges, or whatever was there before, will need to be replaced by rubber studs. I have no real plans to be that open to the elements, but it helps to know.

[anekho]

you , my friend are on a buying spree! didn't you just buy a i20 and a spark with delivery on the same day?

anyways, have fun in the gypsy - it's a great car for what it's built for.

cheers

[Sawyer]

Originally Posted by anekho

you , my friend are on a buying spree! didn't you just buy a i20 and a spark with delivery on the same day?

anyways, have fun in the gypsy - it's a great car for what it's built for.

cheers

It's called rearranging the portfolio! I will buy it only after I sell my one year old Pajero SFX, so in exchange for letting that one go, I basically get an i20, a Spark and a Gypsy. All new. Totally horses for courses. It makes a lot of sense if parking at home is not a constraint. Which it isn't.

[MileCruncher]

Congrats Sawyer! By the way doe sthe HT come with factory fitted AC. If it does then I'll go right now and the dealer over here.

[Sawyer]

No, of course not, let the dog or whatever you are bashing the hell out of, lie in peace. No AC and no power steering!

[anekho]

Originally Posted by Sawyer

It's called rearranging the portfolio! I will buy it only after I sell my one year old Pajero SFX, so in exchange for letting that one go, I basically get an i20, a Spark and a Gypsy. All new. Totally horses for courses. It makes a lot of sense if parking at home is not a constraint. Which it isn't.

sounds like a sweet deal!

In my case, I have to choose a car that will fit between the gate - which leaves me with only one choice: wagon-r