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


Reply
  Search this Thread
102,391 views
Old 9th July 2015, 17:43   #61
BHPian
 
swami69's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Chennai
Posts: 477
Thanked: 1,261 Times
UPDATE at 10000 kms - my Thar

Hello,

I have completed 10500 kms in my Thar and it has been a wonderful journey. I have not done any recent mods after all those I did initially and just enjoy driving it.

The vehicle is behaving extremely well and just want to note, that this is my one and only vehicle. I use it for work, I use this to take my family around Chennai to malls, movies and also on couple of long distance trips to Ooty and then to Thanjavur, Trichy etc.,

I have not faced any issues with it so far and have done the regular servicing at MPL/OMR who have really taken care of my vehicle.

I had put this vehicle through the tough summer of Chennai and the A/C has done its job extremely well. I have gone maximum to point # 2 in the A/C control with full thermostat only once when i had parked the vehicle in hot sun for more than 4 hours. All other times, it is always in Point # 1 and 75% on thermostat - I really cools the cabin. I really do not know whether it is the same with every other Thar or is it because of some Nitrile Foam insulation mods i had done earlier, but it is very good.

In a lighter sense, my road from OMR to residence is dug up for Metro Water and Sewerage work for the past 9 months and it looks like I bought my Thar just for that purpose - every day offroading ! This is what my neighbours say and they envy. I just don't care driving in that road while others are so careful avoiding all those bumps and pits

Just an observation - after I crossed around 7000 kms, the engine became extremely smooth and I can easily Rev over 4000 rpm and it just zips from the signals and I do this occassionally just to get the thrill.

I love my thar and whenever I travel, i just really miss it and feel, oh I have lost one day driving my Thar - I think i am too connected to it.

Just thought of giving an update to our members.

Swami
swami69 is offline   (9) Thanks
Old 21st September 2015, 12:35   #62
BHPian
 
Car&me's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Chennai
Posts: 207
Thanked: 36 Times
Re: Big Bull - My Mahindra Thar experience...& some mods

Swami, its a nice vehicle you have here and wish you many more happy miles to come.
I have always wanted a Jeep. But my highway runs are really high (40k per year) along with a small car for my wife (and city rounds) has disabled me to look for a Jeep. But I am glad that you took your decision with the heart and enjoying it.
Car&me is offline  
Old 19th September 2016, 12:49   #63
BHPian
 
swami69's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Chennai
Posts: 477
Thanked: 1,261 Times
Re: Big Bull - My Mahindra Thar experience...& some mods

Dear Friends, with a heavy heart, I think I am going to let the Thar go after 2 years of wonderful ownership. I bought this from my heart and also to get into off roading. But, if I turn back, in the past 2 years, i have done this adventure sports only once which is documented in this thread. All the other time, I was using it as my office daily drive.

I do not know, may be my intolerance to vehicle damage and to maintain it extremely clean does not match with the off-road requirements and hence I have not participated in anything else.

Considering this, I think i am not doing justice to this wonderful vehicle and instead I should buy a larger SUV which will take care of my multiple needs like butch looks, have a 4X4 just in case and all the basic creature comforts for my family on longer runs - I would probably look for a good used Endeavour (at this point of thought) and pursue this buy. I will be putting up my Thar for sale in the Classifieds section and anyone can please contact me if they OR their friends are interested.

Thanks so much to all those who contributed on this thread and encouraged me. Once the sale is completed, I will inform the mods to close this thread. Hoping that I will be able to complete this at the earliest.

Swami
swami69 is offline   (2) Thanks
Old 19th September 2016, 16:25   #64
BHPian
 
cpbopanna's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Bangalore
Posts: 593
Thanked: 946 Times
Re: Big Bull - My Mahindra Thar experience...& some mods

Quote:
Originally Posted by swami69 View Post
....I do not know, may be my intolerance to vehicle damage and to maintain it extremely clean does not match with the off-road requirements and hence I have not participated in anything else.

Considering this, I think i am not doing justice to this wonderful vehicle and instead I should buy a larger SUV which will take care of my multiple needs like butch looks, have a 4X4 just in case and all the basic creature comforts for my family on longer runs...
Swami
Dear Swami,

I read with regret your decision to part with the Big Bull.
Just in case, your decision is NOT final, kindly peruse the following points:

1. I am as intolerant to vehicle damage, as you are.
I 'rough-used' my Jeep just once and that was that!
I take care of my Jeep better than my car and I have no regrets!
After four years of ownership, I still keep modifying it (albeit not in leaps & bounds), just to keep the fire burning!

2. The Thar is a wonderful city vehicle (for up to 4 people) and an excellent highway vehicle (for 2 people).
You must by now have realized the respect it commands both on-road and off-road!

3. Once you have addressed basic creature comforts (comfortable seats front & [forward-facing] rear, central locking, power windows, ICE), proper brakes and some bump in power, it is one helluva vehicle to drive and be seen in.

4. Couple of niggles continue throughout its life - vibrations, the occasional water leakage, failure of brake/clutch sensors (resulting in engine check light coming on), hissing sound at high speed due to air ingress between the body and the front doors.
But again, as you have mentioned earlier in the thread, these are 'Jeep things'.
You have to learn to live with them and in course of time, you might actually start enjoying them

5. Last but not the least, in spite of owning a car (an SX4), my Jeep is my primary vehicle.
In fact, I just returned from an expedition to the Himalayas where I enjoyed a gruelling drive in a Scorpio for over 10 days across varying terrain.
But on my return and back behind the wheel of my Jeep, all those nostalgic thoughts and feelings vanished and I am again glued to my Jeep!

I therefore beseech you to cling on to the Big Bull's tail and buy a secondary vehicle to take care of your earthly desires.
For those heavenly feelings, only one vehicle can address your requirements - an icon, a Jeep!

Cheers,

Bopanna

PS: Lest you get any ideas to the contrary, I am not associated with the Mahindras in any manner. It's just that I have been driving Jeeps for the past 35 years and I am truly smitten with the Thar!

Last edited by cpbopanna : 19th September 2016 at 16:26.
cpbopanna is offline   (1) Thanks
Old 19th September 2016, 17:18   #65
BHPian
 
swami69's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Chennai
Posts: 477
Thanked: 1,261 Times
Re: Big Bull - My Mahindra Thar experience...& some mods

Thanks Bopanna for your very friendly suggestions. I can imagine how passionate you are with your Jeep. Even today, I have a similar passion to that vehicle, but there are other factors which are playing in my mind to take a call.

For the first year with my Thar, infact I survived with that as a family vehicle as well, but later decided not to put my entire family into hardship due to the design of the Thar. At that time, I invested a small amount and went with a fantastic 12 year old Corolla for the family runs. It was an immaculate car (reviewed in TBHP) and I had all the confidence on that. But, after purchasing that, in the next two months, it got submerged in the Chennai floods.

While I put in a lot of efforts and recovered it fully (using insurance cover), it is there in the corner of my mind that it has gone down in floods. Now, that safety and stability factor for taking my family on that for long runs is hitting me hard.

So, actually I have two options :

1. Buy another robust young used sedan and give the Corolla off. But, unfortunately it will fetch peanuts and for that new used sedan, I need to pump in full money (approx. 7 lakhs, say If I look for a VW Jetta or something equivalent - I want a bigger one and not interested in the smaller
Sedans) - it should be atleast equal to size and power to Corolla.

2. Since I have put in that much effort and not to let go that off for peanuts, I would retain it for my City Runs (perfectly safe) and give off my Thar (which will fetch a descent money) and go for a 5 year, low run SUV like an Endeavour. This way, my daily drive is taken care and also a perfect long distance family SUV also counting a 4X4, AT, Space, looks etc.,

The 2nd option was looking more perfect for my needs and hence I am tilting towards it.

After your message, I am still contemplating and will make a call. Thanks once again.

Swami
swami69 is offline   (2) Thanks
Old 22nd September 2016, 17:13   #66
BHPian
 
sjcherian's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Chennai
Posts: 493
Thanked: 585 Times
Re: Big Bull - My Mahindra Thar experience...& some mods

Quote:
Originally Posted by cpbopanna View Post

I therefore beseech you to cling on to the Big Bull's tail and buy a secondary vehicle to take care of your earthly desires.
For those heavenly feelings, only one vehicle can address your requirements - an icon, a Jeep!
I tried my best as well to convince Swami to retain his Thar. I understand your sentiments.

Quote:
Originally Posted by swami69 View Post

After your message, I am still contemplating and will make a call. Thanks once again.

Swami
Looks like he made the call to sell and the Big Bull is now sold off as of yesterday ! Now to see what replacement he will buy.
sjcherian is offline  
Old 3rd October 2016, 10:30   #67
BHPian
 
swami69's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Chennai
Posts: 477
Thanked: 1,261 Times
Re: Big Bull - My Mahindra Thar experience...& some mods

With a heavy heart, I gave off my Big Bull Thar a week back, as that was the only option I had to re-finance my next vehicle to take care of my requirements.

Once that was gone, I got into the act swiftly and finalised a 2013 November, 34000 kms run XUV500 W8 version after doing test drives myself, test drive by dealer, inspected the vehicle at the dealership, went through the Service History etc., I gave the car a thorough 3M interior treatment and it is great. I was able to extend the warranty to 4th and 5th year immediately as the car was still under warranty. I will soon write a ownership report once I get a good handle of this lovely car. Thanks for all your wishes.

Swami
swami69 is offline  
Reply

Most Viewed
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

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