Team-BHP - Trax Gurkha - As good as it gets??

Quote:

Originally Posted by Samurai (Post 370375)

Anyway, now my wife is also catching the 4x4 bug. She wants me to sell the Baleno and go for Gurkha.:confused:

A Samurai riding a Gurkha - now that would be something, wouldnt it?

No offence meant, but the Gurkha lacks any sort of creature comfort. The roads around your area arent bad enough to warrant you riding around in tractor comfort.

It can never replace a sedan. Dont get carried away by the 4X4 videos - how many times in your life would you be doing that?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steeroid (Post 370432)

No offence meant, but the Gurkha lacks any sort of creature comfort. The roads around your area arent bad enough to warrant you riding around in tractor comfort.

It can never replace a sedan. Dont get carried away by the 4X4 videos - how many times in your life would you be doing that?

Agreed that the Gurkha can never replace the comforts of a sedan, but Samurai himself mentioned that he lives in a village with Bad roads..

True, you may not get plush leather seats and AC and other stuff.. But a rugged machine with basic necessities are available in a Gurkha..

Maybe its not all that bad after-all..

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steeroid (Post 370432)

No offence meant, but the Gurkha lacks any sort of creature comfort. The roads around your area arent bad enough to warrant you riding around in tractor comfort.

Not so quick...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Force4x4.com

The Gurkha features a double wishbone independent front suspension with torsion bars and a rear live axle with elliptical leaf springs. Both front and rear axles have anti roll bar while the rear axle has additional stabilizer bars. All these things mean nothing till you take a ride in the Gurkha and are amazed by the ultra smooth ride even on the roughest roads. You really have to ride it to believe it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steeroid (Post 370432)

It can never replace a sedan. Dont get carried away by the 4X4 videos - how many times in your life would you be doing that?

I have places around here where I can do that. Don't forget we have two sedans and a hatch at home. It is not like 4x4 will become my only ride. Actually I can offroad in my office plot.:) Anyway, I won't make up my mind until I try my cousin's Gurkha properly.

Quote:

Originally Posted by man23ish (Post 370492)

True, you may not get plush leather seats and AC and other stuff.. But a rugged machine with basic necessities are available in a Gurkha..

Actually it does come with PS and AC, leather seat can be put later, for me art-leather will do.

Quote:

Originally Posted by man23ish (Post 370492)

but Samurai himself mentioned that he lives in a village with Bad roads.. ..

Errr - the "village" part is an exaggeration. I mean, which village has a few dozen pubs and stuff?

It is a cool small town.

samurai...i think the gurkha will be a good 'hobby-vehicle' if you get one. keep it for life and work on customizing it over the weekends/holidays. a nice set of alloys with rubbers to match, and some good art-leather seats should be a good start IMHO. i personally think the gurkhas are better built than the Mahindra MM540/CJ Series anyway - not to mention the MB engines compared to the rackety MM ones. there are people I know who use the Mahindras as daily transport and are extremely happy about it...

IFAIK, there are 2 types of off road janta. ones who like it cushy and 'never want to get dirty' types who drive expensive SUV-type vehicles (endeavour, terracan, CRV, tucson etc.), who get most of their action in the Pub/Mall parking lots...and the mud-bashing 'never mind those scratches' types who live and drive to work everyday in estates/mountains etc. and drive MMs, Gypsies etc. i think we dont fit into either of these categories as of now :D, but 'hobby 4x4' enthusiasts are somewhere in between maybe !? check this out for inspiration:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...9/Landy4no.jpg

and a good read on soft-roaders / off-roaders here:
About.com: http://motortrend.com/buyersguide/buylease/112_0407_ic_offroad/

PS: please do post pictures/reviews on your cousins Gurkha asap.

Quote:

Originally Posted by NIP (Post 370652)

samurai...i think the gurkha will be a good 'hobby-vehicle' if you get one. keep it for life and work on customizing it over the weekends/holidays.

Now THAT sounds like fun ! Samurai san dont lose the Baleno. I know of another person thats picking up 2 of these Limited Edition Gurkhas, so perhaps you can use his help in the 'customizing' part.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steeroid (Post 370663)

Now THAT sounds like fun ! Samurai san dont lose the Baleno. I know of another person thats picking up 2 of these Limited Edition Gurkhas, so perhaps you can use his help in the 'customizing' part.

steeroid, you lose and gain sedans/cars around your 4x4...the right one stays for life :). and besides, i aint talkin about monster trucks or dune bashing here...plain simple custom jobs which samurai can handle without any help. not to mention all the fun he can have, considering his love for the outdoors...!

Wow NIP, that looks cool, it is the LWB version with 4 doors.

These days I rarely get to drive above 100Kmph even on highways thanks to bad roads and slow traffic. Therefore it makes more sense for me to switch to a slower 4x4 and have some off-roading fun. If I go for luxury SUVs like Safari/Scorpio 4x4, they will be well over 11Lakhs and I may never take it off-road.

Anyway, I am not in a hurry. I will take my time checking out Gurkha in person and then decide.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jomz (Post 370817)

Samurai san... Is the Engine The BS3 one with EGR Developed by Merc or an Force Motors upgarde of their OM 616??

I only reported what was forwarded by my cousin, exactly what is in message#100. Don't know any more.

Quote:

YES Force motors is planning in a big way...

1) New engine OM611 which will go in production next month
2) New Body styling a combination of both Scorpio & Sumo
3) A New Gear Box G32
4) Recently a whole new chassis called rationalised chassis.

Also underway is new face of Traveller.

If this is the case, then the possibilities with the new engine and gearbox are endless for 4X4 enthusiasts. Although Force Motors would have to skip a few generations in fit & finish department to match M&M, not to mention the marketing strategy.