Team-BHP > 4x4 & Off-Roading > 4x4 Vehicles


Reply
  Search this Thread
489,016 views
Old 18th April 2016, 20:31   #76
Senior - BHPian
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Pune
Posts: 2,677
Thanked: 1,784 Times
Re: My brand new Gypsy King 1.3L MPFI

Let me tell you how I have used the car bought new in 2009, with no breakdowns and nothing other than routine service - use what you can if this suits. I am still using the OE battery! - but this is a matter of luck.

I did nothing to the car except the Yokos, and did all my services at a MASS. Changed engine oil at the first 1000kms like I do with all my new cars. Used air pressure as recommended in the manual. Changed all fluids as recommended by Maruti. Got the brakes serviced annually.

That's it. In the initial years, I made sure to run the 4WD gear carefully on tarmac, but I now understand that this isn't necessary. The 4WD will work when necessary, as long it hasn't been abused in use, even if it has been left idle for months on end.

The car is a fill it and forget about it vehicle.
Sawyer is offline  
Old 19th April 2016, 04:24   #77
BHPian
 
Vikram Arya's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: Calgary/Shimla
Posts: 421
Thanked: 2,111 Times
Re: My brand new Gypsy King 1.3L MPFI

Quote:
Originally Posted by shyamkrish View Post
Ok so the dealer called to let me know that the Gypsy will be arriving on 25th (next week)

So i would to prepare a checklist of things as mentioned by several folks above

1) Tyre change to Yokos same size
2) Ensure Lug nuts are tightened to correct torque
3) Size front tyres to around 20 (maybe a little more ) and rear tyres based on load (26-30)

I wanted to check about the free wheeling hub. Since it is no longer available in new gypsies do i need it? Doesnt it improve mileage by detaching the shaft from Front wheels when 4WD isn't in use? Pls advice

Also, initially i will be offloading only probably once in 2 months until i get the confidence. Is there a way i can use the 4WD in the city just to make sure it doesn't remain idle for long periods. So that when i engage it in real situations it does work?

Can you list out any other things to keep in mind since iam new to 4WD and Gypsy in particular that you have experienced?

Thanks
Shyam
Hi Shyamkrish,

I am also contemplating the lockable hubs for Gypsy however I have not been able to make up my mind yet (in fact I’m leaning away from that). Yes it is true that by having the manual lockable hubs you can disengage the front drive train (front drive shafts, crown & pinion) thereby enhancing your mileage by a small margin, slightly reducing your steering effort & reducing the wear on the front driveline to a small extent (though a few members here may disagree with me).

Please keep in mind however that you can potentially strip the splines if the hubs are not engaged/disengaged properly which of course is in addition to inconvenience of getting out of the car every time you want to engage the 4WD. Then there is the question of whether you can get a good mechanic to install the hubs properly. And lastly where do you plan to source the hubs from. I have heard of some locally manufactured stuff (I’ll stay away from them). I have done a little bit of research & zeroed down on AISIN FH-002 freewheeling hubs. These are manufactures in Japan and used to come factory fitted on Gypsy till the time these were discontinued by Maruti. In the end it is purely a matter of choice & inclination whether you want to keep your car stock.

I would refrain from engaging the 4WD (H or L) on paved surface as it can result in transmission binding. If you must; engage 4WD on an unpaved surface while keeping the front wheels straight. The 4WD mechanism will be okay even if you do not engage it for months together so don’t worry about it.

I would like to add a few points regarding routine maintenance of the Gypsy.

1. Change your engine oil & filter every 5 to 6,000 kms (Maruti specifies 10,000 kms). I have spent 21 years in the lubricants business so I know a thing or two about oils. Operating conditions/dust levels in India are far too severe for this kind of service interval. Engine oil is life blood of your car so that is money well spent. The Gypsy owner’s manual specifies API SF/SG/SH oil; I’m actually disappointed that honchos at Maruti have not bothered to update the specs in the owner’s manual as the current API spec for gasoline engines is API-SN. Stick to oil majors such as Shell, Exxon Mobil etc. in case you do not have a particular brand preference. (My personal recommendation is Shell Helix HX-7 10W-40 which is synthetic blend gasoline engine oil). Some folks may suggest full synthetic engine oil and that is fine too. Please note that you will be spending anywhere from Rs. 3,500 to 4,000 on oil alone in that case. One last point regarding engine oils; you cannot/should not increase your drain intervals irrespective whether you’re using mineral/synthetic blend or a full synthetic engine oil. Always stick to your OEM’s recommendation for the upper limit of the drain interval.

2. Clean your air filters every 2,500 kms & change it every 20,000 kms (Maruti specifies changing air filter every 40,000 kms). It is small expense but a cleaner air filter prevents debris/dust going into your intake which is absolutely essential for a healthy engine. A plugged air filter will also result in a rich mixture therefore your mileage will also go down. Stay away from after-market filters such as K&N and stick to OEM air filters. Oil used to lubricate filters such as K&N can foul/plug Mass Air Flow sensor.

3. The car comes with copper spark plugs. After 15 to 20,000 kms you can change to a platinum spark plugs & you would not have to change them for another 60,000 kms other than cleaning them every 10,000 kms (NGK BKR6EGP will fit perfectly). I must mention here that this is purely optional; you can if you so desire stick to OEM copper plugs. Avoid iridium spark plugs & save your money as they would not provide any tangible benefit. Two of my car came factory fitted with Iridium spark plugs so they would only need to be changed at 160,000 kms but they have high compression ratio engines and the fuel quality that we get here is far superior compared to what is available in India. Poor quality fuel also results in spark plus fouling so please make sure you frequent a reliable gas station for refueling.

4. Change the rest of fluids such as transfer case/transmission & differential in addition to coolant & brake as per Maruti’s laid down intervals.

5. Check you tire pressure every month when the tires are cold such as right in the morning before the vehicle has been driven.

6. Wash your car at least once in two weeks to keep the mud out of the underbody/other gaps that ultimately result in rusting. This will also help to preserve your paint sheen. Please use a car shampoo & not some house old detergent as these have phosphates in them that eat into your paint.

7. Finally, find a reliable MASS or a good mechanic who know what he’s are doing. The problem with Gypsy is that Maruti sells so few of these that a regular MASS gets one to service very infrequently and therefore the mechanics are not very conversant with the vehicle. So talk to your friends/peers who own one & do your due diligence.

Do all/most of this and you will have thousands of kilometers of trouble free driving.

Regards.
Attached Images
 
Vikram Arya is offline   (4) Thanks
Old 19th April 2016, 06:37   #78
Senior - BHPian
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Pune
Posts: 2,677
Thanked: 1,784 Times
Re: My brand new Gypsy King 1.3L MPFI

Another hassle with the lockable hubs is these will have to be kept in good shape by occasionally 4WD use, to get all the front wheel drive parts that are supposed to move in that mode, to move once in a couple of months to retain the ability to do so.

Without those installed, all that needs to be moving is always moving even in 2WD. The front wheel drive gear is just uncoupled at the gearbox, but still in motion, so it doesn't need a periodic workout.
Sawyer is offline  
Old 19th April 2016, 08:35   #79
BHPian
 
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Madurai
Posts: 83
Thanked: 64 Times
Re: My brand new Gypsy King 1.3L MPFI

Sawyer,

Thats an excellent point !!! That is enough to convince me not to install the hubs

Vikram,

Thanks for the detailed service checklist. Will take a note of it and follow it !

Thanks
Shyam
shyamkrish is offline  
Old 27th April 2016, 19:34   #80
BHPian
 
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Madurai
Posts: 83
Thanked: 64 Times
Re: My brand new Gypsy King 1.3L MPFI

Today the Gypsy had arrived at the stockyard. I went there to check it out. It was covered in dust (not yet cleaned for delivery). The odo had 11Km on it. The stuff under the Bonnet was shiny and clean

The interiors were from a different world. Inspite of that it was so exciting to see the Gypsy. Pure mechanicals, no powersteering or fancy audio system or climate control, just the basics that it needs.

Really excited by the fact that it can take me anywhere that i want to go instead of worrying about anything else

I will take delivery on 29th
shyamkrish is offline   (4) Thanks
Old 27th April 2016, 21:45   #81
Senior - BHPian
 
cool_dube's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Bangalore
Posts: 2,649
Thanked: 4,536 Times
Re: My brand new Gypsy King 1.3L MPFI

Quote:
Originally Posted by shyamkrish View Post
Today the Gypsy had arrived at the stockyard
Congrats Shyam! You are right - the beauty of the Gypsy lies in its simplicity. Have fun and do share some pics.
cool_dube is offline  
Old 27th April 2016, 21:59   #82
Distinguished - BHPian
 
Leoshashi's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: India
Posts: 5,692
Thanked: 42,300 Times
Re: My brand new Gypsy King 1.3L MPFI

Quote:
Originally Posted by shyamkrish View Post
Today the Gypsy had arrived at the stockyard. I went there to check it out. It was covered in dust
I will take delivery on 29th
Congrats. Kindly don't be unfair and share pics of your Gypsy for us to drool. Trust me, a pic of a brand new Gypsy is good enough for us to drool for days.

Some queries from my side-

1. Has the hard-top version been discontinued?? The latest pricelist of the dealer has only soft top mentioned.

2. Are other colours available?? I have been told that although Maruti's system is accepting other colors while booking, they are dispatching only Whites.

Regards,
Shashi
Leoshashi is offline   (4) Thanks
Old 28th April 2016, 06:06   #83
BHPian
 
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Madurai
Posts: 83
Thanked: 64 Times
Re: My brand new Gypsy King 1.3L MPFI

Shashi,

Yes thats correct. The dealer told me only ST is available and only white. I tried to call Maruti and check and but they never responded. Then i spoke to one of the regional managers in south zone and he confirmed that only white is sold.

So its only white ST that is available

Shyam
shyamkrish is offline   (1) Thanks
Old 28th April 2016, 09:08   #84
Senior - BHPian
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Pune
Posts: 2,677
Thanked: 1,784 Times
Re: My brand new Gypsy King 1.3L MPFI

It may be a little impractical, but IMO a soft top is the Gypsy to have. One has to remember to keep the glove box locked with any valuables kept there; I often leave the car unlocked with the windows down when it is parked in use.

I still have to remove the top even once; for all it looking cool, it is extremely impractical to use it that way and I can see that reinstalling the top will be a pain. But I have often used it with the rear rolled up and it makes for an excellent car in which to picnic in the monsoons in the hills. Unmatched views out of the rear at those times.
Sawyer is offline  
Old 28th April 2016, 10:31   #85
Senior - BHPian
 
Desmosedici's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: White Village
Posts: 1,484
Thanked: 584 Times
Re: My brand new Gypsy King 1.3L MPFI

I have used the Gypsy with Soft Top and Hard Top. Hard Top is so much more practical. You can keep stuff, have better AC effeciency. However the Soft Top looks uber cool. Lose the Soft Top and its every boys 'dream come true' look. But the Soft Top if not fastened properly will keep flaping like crazy.

Removing the soft top is easy, putting it back needs a bit of an effort.
Desmosedici is offline   (1) Thanks
Old 30th April 2016, 07:59   #86
BHPian
 
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Madurai
Posts: 83
Thanked: 64 Times
Re: My brand new Gypsy King 1.3L MPFI

Hi All,

Iam back with my Gypsy ! Heres an account of what happened - some good and some bad

I was told to reach the showroom at 5Pm friday to pick it up. As usual it was delayed by an hour which made the wait even more unbearable. There were so many customers and prospects in the showroom enquiring the Brezza, Ertiga etc

But as soon as the Gypsy arrived a huge crowd gathered, even i couldnt take my eyes of it. I was given the papers and i took control of it. As soon as i rode out of the showroom, i felt the car was pretty rough and slow. My worst fears came true within 1/2 km seeing the 4WD light on. I stopped the vehicle and changed it to 2WD and light went off. But the car wouldnt go even in 1st gear. I kept trying but it just didnt have power. Looks like the showroom guys had put 4WD on. What a bunch of idiots!

I called the dealer and he sent a few mechanics who said that the car wasnt switching to 2WD. They tried for an hour but no luck. Then they called in for a Gypsy expert. He also tried the same but then realised that the issue was not with 2WD but that the brakes were very tight. He loosened it and it rode fine.He also showed me the various 4WD options and demonstrated the car in each mode and it worked fine.

I drove to the tyre shop and got the tyres exchanged. I was bombarded with so many questions from customers there - have they started selling the Gypsy, what colour , what price? Then all the tyre mechanics took a photo of themselves with the Gypsy. What a road presence it has.

I road back home and took it out today morning for a 40 Km drive

A few observations and then a few questions

1) I didnt find the steering hard even with OEM tyres. I found it stiff but not too bad. Infact i didnt find a world of difference with new tyres. Probably i got too much prepared based on the comments here

2) Even the suspension , i felt, was quite ok. The way i look at it is, i travel by auto quite often. This is much better. Even on speed breakers it was quite fine

3) The Gypsy does have a grunt like a jeep. Its not completely silent. The issue is, iam used to the Cedia which is butter smooth, i cant hear a single vibration nor a sound. So for me this is noisy. Is that correct?

4) When the RPM is a bit low for the gear, it vibrates quite a bit. Probably because it doesnt have an RPM display this is the only indication

5) When we change gears, it does it with a bit of jerk, but when we release the clutch gradually its fine

Overall, amazing experience driving it today. The grunt is so good.

Hope nothing would have happened to the 4wd because i did not take any turns and was travelling at about 15-20 KmpHr for 1/2 km before i realised it.

Will post photos this weekend

Would love to hear your thoughts
shyamkrish is offline   (2) Thanks
Old 30th April 2016, 09:37   #87
BHPian
 
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Madurai
Posts: 83
Thanked: 64 Times
Re: My brand new Gypsy King 1.3L MPFI

One more point about tyre pressure. The tyre mechanic advised me not to reduce pressure below 28 as it might damage the rims. He said the OEM tyres being non-radial , a tyre pressure of 20 would be ok. But for Yoko he said it should be atleast 28. The ride us pretty good at that pressure
shyamkrish is offline   (1) Thanks
Old 30th April 2016, 15:31   #88
Senior - BHPian
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Pune
Posts: 2,677
Thanked: 1,784 Times
Re: My brand new Gypsy King 1.3L MPFI

I would think that lower pressure would save the rims at the cost of tyres, because the tyres would flex more and cushion the rim from impacts.

I have used the Yokos with 20/26 for 5 years with no ill effects on either, there isn't a single dent in any of the four stock rims. Of course I don't do the kind of off roading that results in hard landings after being airborne or otherwise.

Your call to make finally. Mechanics every where have their pet theories that are usually groundless.
Sawyer is offline  
Old 30th April 2016, 18:04   #89
Senior - BHPian
 
Desmosedici's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: White Village
Posts: 1,484
Thanked: 584 Times

Lower pressure would definitely impact the tyres. The flex would be more, its not necessarily a cushion. The contact patch is not very even and it might even rollout of the rim at higher speeds. The pressure has to be perfect in whatever application. Even in offroading, there have been instances where the tyres have rolled out due to the pressure being too low.

The stock Gypsy rims are good enough plus inexpensive. No need to worry about them .
Desmosedici is offline  
Old 1st May 2016, 05:41   #90
BHPian
 
Vikram Arya's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: Calgary/Shimla
Posts: 421
Thanked: 2,111 Times
Re: My brand new Gypsy King 1.3L MPFI

Quote:
Originally Posted by shyamkrish View Post
Hi All,

Iam back with my Gypsy ! Heres an account of what happened - some good and some bad

I was told to reach the showroom at 5Pm friday to pick it up. As usual it was delayed by an hour which made the wait even more unbearable. There were so many customers and prospects in the showroom enquiring the Brezza, Ertiga etc

But as soon as the Gypsy arrived a huge crowd gathered, even i couldnt take my eyes of it. I was given the papers and i took control of it. As soon as i rode out of the showroom, i felt the car was pretty rough and slow. My worst fears came true within 1/2 km seeing the 4WD light on. I stopped the vehicle and changed it to 2WD and light went off. But the car wouldnt go even in 1st gear. I kept trying but it just didnt have power. Looks like the showroom guys had put 4WD on. What a bunch of idiots!

I called the dealer and he sent a few mechanics who said that the car wasnt switching to 2WD. They tried for an hour but no luck. Then they called in for a Gypsy expert. He also tried the same but then realised that the issue was not with 2WD but that the brakes were very tight. He loosened it and it rode fine.He also showed me the various 4WD options and demonstrated the car in each mode and it worked fine.

I drove to the tyre shop and got the tyres exchanged. I was bombarded with so many questions from customers there - have they started selling the Gypsy, what colour , what price? Then all the tyre mechanics took a photo of themselves with the Gypsy. What a road presence it has.

I road back home and took it out today morning for a 40 Km drive

A few observations and then a few questions

1) I didnt find the steering hard even with OEM tyres. I found it stiff but not too bad. Infact i didnt find a world of difference with new tyres. Probably i got too much prepared based on the comments here

2) Even the suspension , i felt, was quite ok. The way i look at it is, i travel by auto quite often. This is much better. Even on speed breakers it was quite fine

3) The Gypsy does have a grunt like a jeep. Its not completely silent. The issue is, iam used to the Cedia which is butter smooth, i cant hear a single vibration nor a sound. So for me this is noisy. Is that correct?

4) When the RPM is a bit low for the gear, it vibrates quite a bit. Probably because it doesnt have an RPM display this is the only indication

5) When we change gears, it does it with a bit of jerk, but when we release the clutch gradually its fine

Overall, amazing experience driving it today. The grunt is so good.

Hope nothing would have happened to the 4wd because i did not take any turns and was travelling at about 15-20 KmpHr for 1/2 km before i realised it.

Will post photos this weekend

Would love to hear your thoughts
Congratulations Shyamkrish for the new Gypsy.

Sorry to hear about the 4WD episode. Shows the lackadaisical attitude that the dealer staff typically has in India be it Maruti or other brands. No such problem for me fortunately because the dealer had to hide my Gypsy on top floor behind row of other cars in their stock as this was the first hard top Gypsy that they had received in 10 months.

As for the tire pressure suggested by your “tire mechanic” I would only say this is entirely incorrect & based on so called “experience” and hearsay. If you recall 30 years ago when radials were introduced in India the popular perception was to have 6 to 8 psi more air than the recommended tire pressure because a typical radial does not sit taut like a cross ply tire but has a wider contact patch because of the flex which to the untrained eye gives an impression that the tire is under-inflated. Please do not heed such worthless advice.

This advice to pump up the tires to 28 psi is not only incorrect but also dangerous. Having 8 psi over manufacturer’s recommendation will also reduce the size of your tire’s contact patch with the road surface. In rainy season your tires are more likely to hydroplane & will also make your ride bumpy. Having such a high tire pressure will also result in a bald batch right in the centre of tire in the long run as this pressure will cause it to change the shape of the contact patch from flat to curved. Such a high tire pressure would also put unnecessary strain on your steering/suspension componentry.

My suggestion would be to keep the tire pressure at 20-22 psi both front & rear & you will be fine. There is no reason to keep the rear tire pressure higher than front if you are not going to carry 4 passengers or lots of heavy luggage all the time. Please remember rear portion of Gypsy as it is has been known to be notorious for being bouncy as there is practically no load on rear unlike a typical sedan (more so in your case as it is a soft top). I have a hard top & the car is doing just fine with 22 psi.

My last suggestion; invest in a good quality tire pressure gauge preferable electronic as these are generally more accurate & not rely on tire shops/petrol pump gauges that are inaccurate by a mile.

Regarding the judder in transmission at low speeds, it will happen if you shift into 4th or 5th gears at too low a speed; the car is telling you to shift up i.e, to a lower gear. You need to be especially careful in first 1,000 kms. Honestly lack of odometer should not be a problem; all of us have grown up driving cars/jeeps that never had one. In a car such Gypsy it has hardly any use unless you’re driving a high performance sports car on a circuit that redlines at a very high rpm. As for the jerk while changing gears I have also experienced it; I believe as you drive it a little more you’ll be able to adjust/fine tune your gear changing technique so that this is minimized.

Lastly; please read the owners manual cover to cover & you will get you know your Gypsy much more intimately.

Happy motoring brother!
Attached Thumbnails
My brand new Gypsy King 1.3L MPFI-tire_inflation_500x324.jpg  

Vikram Arya is offline   (4) Thanks
Reply

Most Viewed
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Team-BHP.com
Proudly powered by E2E Networks