[shyamkrish]

Wow, Thats it !! Iam really excited and waiting to get my hands on that knob ! And i have also decided to keep it as built. Which means i will not be fitting the AC nor the PC. This will remain the rugged vehicle that it has been built for

[Sawyer]

Originally Posted by Desmosedici

4H -4WD High Ratio - Can be used at slower speeds on slippery surface
N - Neutral - You totally disengage the gearbox (including the main gearbox)
4L - 4WD Low ratio - Should be used when you really need all the torque to come out of an extreme situation.

Couple of more clarifications - you can literally break the transmission if you are careless about these:
1. Changing to 4WD can be done while in motion, but at slow speeds.
2. Changing to 4L must be done with the vehicle stationary

Using 4WD when the road isn't siippery - even using it on wet tarmac - WILL break the transmission. 4WD - H or L - can be used only when the tyres can easily lose grip on the road surface, places like slushy mud roads and the like, because the Gypsy does not have the centre differential that is needed to let the front and rear axles rotate at different speeds when needed to do so on turns. Spinning of the tyres on the road surface allows the two axles to run at different speeds, but where the tyres grip the road very well this escape route isn't available and in its absence, the drive line will soon break.

PS: Using a non AC car in as hot and humid a place as Madurai is a test of character. Power steering isn't a must, but AC may make sense. In Pune I have left my car in stock condition for reliability, but I don't use the car in summer.

[shyamkrish]

Sawyer,

Thanks a lot for this info !!! Yea i need to know what i SHOULDNT BE DOING. This is very very useful

MY farmhouse is located in an area with no roads. There is just a mud road and there is an area where we have to go through a couple of patta lands. SO its basically mud everywhere which is exactly why need the Gypsy. So yes i will use 4WD only when absolutely necessary

Yes i know AC is a necessity. I need to get it done if at all, by a mechanic who knows the Gypsy in and out because i have heard about overheating etc. I will do some research and decide. BUt iam sure i dont want PS as i will get used to it.

Also, do you have a suggestion on tyres that i can replace the stock tyres with. I really want a set of tyres that can be used for regular driving and off roading. Since i stay in Madurai, i need to travel 120 kms to Kodai and then do some off-roading to my farm. I need very reliable AT tyres. Can you give some suggestions? Do i need to upsize or should i use same size as stock?

Thanks

[Desmosedici]

AC - ensure you go to the best. Installing an electrical fan ahead of the condenser works well. Install this with a switch. You will need to turn just the fan on during slow moving traffic as there will be no airflow and the condenser sits ahead of the radiator thereby blocking any available airflow. The fan will suck in air to cool the system.

Tyres - Yokohama Geolanders AT 215/75 R15. Don't look beyond these. People say softer sidewalls but from an overall usage perspective i found these to be the best.

[Sawyer]

Originally Posted by Desmosedici

Tyres - Yokohama Geolanders AT 215/75 R15. Don't look beyond these. People say softer sidewalls but from an overall usage perspective i found these to be the best.

I agree, these are brilliant for Gypsy and the largest size that can be fitted with no interference with OE bodywork. When I bought mine in 2010, they were made in Japan and I suspect they still are. Flawless performance, and I found that steering effort was not a big deal after these were installed. Turning circle is, but that isn't going to go away with PS, so I don't see the PS as a worthwhile add.

[shyamkrish]

Okay ! Thanks a lot for the inputs

So i will be keeping it in stock condition to get a feel of the vehicle (except for tyres). AC will be the only mod which i will probably do after a year . 4WD will be used if and only if a 2WD cannot do the job, just like a nuclear warhead Used only when there is no other option !!!

[cool_dube]

Originally Posted by shyamkrish

4WD will be used if and only if a 2WD cannot do the job, just like a nuclear warhead Used only when there is no other option !!!

Keeping a Gypsy as stock as possible is the best bet! Mine is completely stock, except the Yoko's.

A word of caution on engaging the 4WD - do not wait to engage it till you get stuck, do it as soon as you anticipate tricky terrain. Does not hurt to be cautious.

[shyamkrish]

Team-BHP has been instrumental in helping me take this big decision. I have pored through so many threads that influenced me in a big way. So i would like to share my experiences and thoughts on what were the key factors that swayed me towards booking a Gypsy.

I have heard so many comments about the Gypsy being overpriced, but i have always felt that its value for money, that is, if you look at it as a utility vehicle and not an MPV/Family SUV

When i made my decision i considered the following factors based on priority below

1) Bulletproof reliability - Gypsy came on the top as i virtually eliminated Mahindra and Tata. One of my cousins had bought a new XUV last year. In the last 6 months, he replaced the engine (can you believe it?). And last month his gear box gave away in the middle of traffic. That shook me and i just wondered if this could happen to a 16 lakh car, what about a sub-10 lakh car. I know, i know this is a one off case, but still its a quality/consistency issue.

2) Power to Weight Ratio - I always wanted a SUV that can double as an on-road vehicle. So it needs to have above average power on highways. I was surprised to note that Gypsy's power to weight ratio is the same as Cedia's. And thats no mean feat to match with a Cedia's power Being a petrol vehicle i was ok with a lower torque given that Gypsy has a weight advantage

3) Ground Clearance - 210 mm is just awesome, very few SUVs have this GC (Pajero, Safari etc) , but again they are all in 15-30 Lakhs range. Gypsy is one of the few in 7 Lakh range

4) 4WD - Again , very few SUVs in the 7 lakh range

For me, the above factors were a clincher. Yes, a Pajero or a Fortuner has these features but at 3 times the price. And even if i buy one of them i would hate to abuse them since parts are damn expensive

There are family SUVs that have all creature comforts (AC, PS, Good suspension) but cant take you everywhere that you want to go. And there are utility vehicles that have no comforts but do one thing good, take you anywhere. So its just a matter of what our priorities are

And i felt for the utility that Gypsy offers, its price is on spot . Last but not the least, i feel one could probably convert a Gypsy into a luxury SUV but not Vice versa

Shyam

[Sawyer]

The Gypsy is also an excellent car for dog owners going off road. After a muddy day out that every dog worth the name loves, it is very easy to clean the car. Remove the bungs that plug the holes in the bottom and hose the car down from inside with high pressure water. Job done. Few other cars can be so easily cleaned inside.

Another thing to remember is to not overfill the tyres beyond what the manual says - the rear suspension is a back breaker as it is. And another way to tame the rear is to make sure the car is well loaded even when there are no passengers at the back. With passengers, a Gypsy with 4 well built passengers at the rear rides a lot better than one with no load at the rear. The car can legally take a total of 7 of course - plus driver - while not comfortable at the rear, this can be useful for short trips. The car is also excellent as a load carrier for airport duty; I remember using it once to ferry luggage of overseas relatives that were in an Innova. There is no way the Innova could have managed the bags as well as the people.

On the con side, the car is low on creature comforts to the extent that people that have bad backs to start with ought to stay away from one.

[Sawyer]

Originally Posted by shyamkrish

Gypsy has a weight advantage

3) Ground Clearance - 210 mm is just awesome, very few SUVs have this GC (Pajero, Safari etc) , but again they are all in 15-30 Lakhs range. Gypsy is one of the few in 7 Lakh range

The weight advantage also helps in not having the car bog down in places that could trouble heavier cars.

It isn't just the GC number that allows it to go places where few SUVs can, it can also handle much greater approach and departure angles. Even in simple places like getting into river crossing ferries at low tide where almost every car struggles to not grind its way into and out of the ferry. One small issue with the stock rear number plate is how it grounds at such times and gets bent out of shape easily. The simple solution is to replace it by a plate that is identical to the one at the front.

The only thing to remember about GC is where the two differentials are located and be aware of that while dealing with poor road surfaces/rocks. With a little skill one can avoid having those ground - anything else that grounds doesn't much affect the car.

[shyamkrish]

I had called the dealer to check if i can exchange the tyres for Yokos. He said its not possible. I have asked him to check with his boss and get back

Meanwhile i wanted to know what my options are

1) If dealer agrees to exchange what would be the price for the OEM tyres? Does anyone know what the size and brand the OEM tyres are? Will dealer do the exchange on delivery or should i get a tyre mechanic? Can i use the same rim for the 215/75R15?

2) If dealer doesnt agree to exchange what should i do? Will a tyre dealer agree to take the tyres?

Thanks
Shyam

[Sawyer]

Few Maruti dealers will do this - I had a tyre dealer do this for me. I don't recall what I got for the new stock tyres, but it wasn't much, between 25-50% of the cost of the Yokohama tyres. I drove the new car to the tyre dealer, that wasn't an issue.

The same rims will work - in fact I recommend the stock rims over alloys.

[Desmosedici]

Originally Posted by shyamkrish

I had called the dealer to check if i can exchange the tyres for Yokos. He said its not possible. I have asked him to check with his boss and get back

Meanwhile i wanted to know what my options are

1) If dealer agrees to exchange what would be the price for the OEM tyres? Does anyone know what the size and brand the OEM tyres are? Will dealer do the exchange on delivery or should i get a tyre mechanic? Can i use the same rim for the 215/75R15?

2) If dealer doesn't agree to exchange what should i do? Will a tyre dealer agree to take the tyres?

Thanks
Shyam

Stock size is 205/70 R15. In all probability the stock tyres would be Ceat Estate. Not sure if Maruti might've changed it now. Very noisy tyres.

Use the same rim. No issues on fitting it on the steel rims and keep the steel rims. Those look good.

A tyre dealer would agree to buy the stock tyres. You can agree on a deal before your Gypsy comes home. Take it directly from the showroom to the tyre dealer and it should be ok.

Cheers,
Raj

[cool_dube]

Originally Posted by shyamkrish

I had called the dealer to check if i can exchange the tyres for Yokos

As Sawyer said, it is best done by a tyre dealer. Talk to someone well in advance so that you can just drive your Gypsy directly from the showroom and he has the Yoko's ready to be swapped.

[shyamkrish]

The dealer called and let me know that Gypsy will be arriving in 10 days. Wow this is so quick !!! I booked it on 10th April. Really excited ! Looking at the speed with which Maruti is delivering , are they planning to bring it back?? (of course it might be because my order might have coincided with their production schedules)

Also i spoke to a tyre dealer and he said the best price he can give is Rs 3K per tyre because i believe size 205 is a dead size and no one uses it. He will give the YOKOs for Rs 6300. So if i exchange 5 tyres my damage would be Rs 16500

Is that ok??