Team-BHP - Review: The Force Gurkha 4x4

Quote:

Originally Posted by Manuuj (Post 3589248)

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The drive ofcourse was way below par. The less i say about the throw of the gear lever the better. Between 2nd and 3rd felt like a good 12-14 inches of throw!
I had to search desperately for the gear slots and use a fair amount of force to literally force them into their slots. I guess its not called Force Motors for nothing.

1st AND 2nd refused to slot into place until the car was completely stationary.

Brakes were very very spongy. I looked at the sales guy and he smiled back weakly and said that they still had to do the PDI on this vehicle.

"Amazing work culture!!" i thought. The Japs and Germans must learn from them.

What confidence!! To actually let a potential customer test drive a vehicle before even a PDI has been done on it.

If anyone from Force Motors is reading this..anyone at all. Please pass on a message to the owners and management - Shame on you.

Shame on you for your lethargy. Shame on you for your indifference. Above all shame on you for your lack of pride in your work.

How can you let a product in this condition roll out of your factory? :Frustrati

I mean its costs close to 10 Lacs and this is what you deliver? In my view one should only buy this car if you have 10 lacs you need to burn. Then you modify it while spending yet more money on it.

Thus after approx 12 lacs spent you will be left with an OTR specialist weekend toy with the workmanship slightly superior to that of a village "Jugaad"

My hard earned money deserves more respect than this.

I was glad the brakes worked enough for me to stop the car and step out. Step out and walk away..forever.

Now that is similar to my views:

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/indian...ml#post3575653

That really is a pathetic vehicle. And comparing this to the G wagon is an even bigger joke!

I sold off my Thar DI 4wd ,not because I was not happy with it- but because my 2 children were really unhappy after being tossed around in the back seat,during a trip to Munaar,in the DI.I was pretty happy with it as it has no competeitor in its class on the hills ,at least, and a fairly reliable engine.I have started missing the jeep already,and aim to buy either the Thar crde ,or the Gurkha,or if I can convince my family the DI again,with a few mods:-).Thanks Arka,4x4 and all of you on team BHP who have been kind enough to answer my queries.The hunt for another jeep has begun again in earnest.

Ronnie, the CRDe is also quite bouncy at the back, but at least it is fun to drive and if you out CFL and front facing seats you can manage with kids. The Gurkha has much better seating arrangement and is much more comfortable than either Thar. However, the engine is seriously underpowered and steering and gear box are a reall pain to use. An ideal vehicle would have been the Gurkha platform with Thar CRDe power train, dash and steering.

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Thanks 4x4:-)) Will I be able to get an indian 4WD jeep with a Non crde ( DI) engine making around 90 BHP , with good track width, (more than the thar DI), leaf springs, with rugged mechanicals , about 200 mm clearance ,no fancy electronics,relatively shorter chassis as that of the thar,with easily available parts and good low end torque for the mountains ?We use the Verna or the swift when travelling together, ever since that fateful journey to Munaar.The fact is when I am travelling alone ,, I am happiest in a bare bones rugged vehicle,comfort is not a priority for me. The Gurkha has a DI engine, with better track widths than the Thar.Unfortunately ,it is not yet available here in Cochin for a test drive,neither is it expected any time soon according to the folks at Poomkudy Motors, Edappally,Ernakulam.Are there any reasons why they are not making the Force Gurkha available here? Are they planning to launch a newer model?

I must also add that the steering of the Thar DI is simply remarkable considering that it is not powered.How I wish they will plonk a more powerful DI engine into the Thar DI,improve the track widths and upgrade the differentials from 3.73 to that of the crde.Alas-----:-(( .

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ronnie Zach (Post 3623103)

Thanks 4x4:-)) Will I be able to get an indian 4WD jeep with a Non crde ( DI) engine making around 90 BHP , with good track width, (more than the thar DI), leaf springs, with rugged mechanicals , about 200 mm clearance ,no fancy electronics,relatively shorter chassis as that of the thar,with easily available parts and good low end torque for the mountains ?

Had similar requirements, there was nothing available. Then I picked up a Sumo 4x4. Non-CRDE engine (IDI, though), makes around 90 bhp, had decent track width, leaf springs, 200 mm of clearance, no electronics and a marginally shorter wheelbase than the Thar. All its lacking is a really good low-end, which I will hopefully work around soon.

Its not perfect, but its out there.

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Originally Posted by Ronnie Zach (Post 3623348)

Has the Sumo xtreme with the 3 litre engine ,been launched yet for the civilian population.If yes how does it compare with the crde Thar and the Gurkha for offroading.

Sumo 4x4 plans are shelved. Will not be launched. Best bet for Medium Wheel Base vehicle is New Scorpio S4+ 4wd. Comes with ABS and Airbags for 10.8 exshowroom. Has PS, PW, AC, and central locking. No crappy OEM music system, so you can install a decent one.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blue Thunder (Post 3623284)

More details please (in a separate thread, of course!)

Those days are long gone. Prefer to keep my experience personal. Old friends from the forum who are still in touch will obviously get to know - not through the route suggested, though.

Currently replacing the rusted body shell with one procured from the 2nd hand market. Vehicle is in great shape mechanically, though - will restrict immediate work to just a DIY lift using the existing components for a 2" increase. Will build on the rest as and when required. There's a British site selling a box for this thing that allegedly bumps up the power to 115bhp, though I really don't know how it works on an antique IDI with a mechanical pump.

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Originally Posted by Steeroid (Post 3624264)

There's a British site selling a box for this thing that allegedly bumps up the power to 115bhp, though I really don't know how it works.

Dear Santosh - tell the british site that you want the bump-up for the Peugeot XUD9A / XUD9AY. A is used without the catalytic converter, AY is used with the catalytic converter. The original Peugeot engines were in production in France somewhere around 1993 to 1997.

Please post some photographs of your vehicle WIP. Should be interesting to watch.

Best regards,

Behram Dhabhar

Quote:

Steeroid

: Had similar requirements, there was nothing available. Then I picked up a Sumo 4x4.
DHABHAR.BEHRAM : - tell the british site that you want the bump-up for the Peugeot XUD9A / XUD9AY.

I have often wondered - what if I had got the 4x4 Victa instead of the Victa GX that I had got. It was available back then .. for about 1L more than what I had paid.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steeroid (Post 3624264)

There's a British site selling a box for this thing that allegedly bumps up the power to 115bhp, though I really don't know how it works on an antique IDI with a mechanical pump.

It is an old school mechanical pump. As far as I know the only electronics on it, is the soleniod switch to shut it off. Wonder how these guys can bump it up to 115 bhp??

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Originally Posted by 4x4addict (Post 3624579)

It is an old school mechanical pump. As far as I know the only electronics on it, is the soleniod switch to shut it off. Wonder how these guys can bump it up to 115 bhp??

Exactly why I've written to them asking how they achieve this with an electronic circuit.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DHABHAR.BEHRAM (Post 3624453)

Please post some photographs of your vehicle WIP. Should be interesting to watch.

Will send them to you separately. Painting it a Thar green, which the RTO cannot refuse to register as its an existing colour.

Considered cutting the rear cargo space by about 1 foot to reduce overhang, but those damn leaf spring mounts prevent any such adventure.

Enough talk of a Sumo 4x4. The topic is Gurkha and lets stay on it.

Quote:

Steeroid

: Considered cutting the rear cargo space by about 1 foot to reduce overhang, but those damn leaf spring mounts prevent any such adventure.

OT for this thread, but I would have suggested looking at just the rear bumper section. The overhang itself is not much, IMO. But importantly, the fuel tank's there (atleast in regular Sumo's). You could look at making the rear bumper removable / with optional reinforcement inside.