[fk7]

Hi All,

I have been a member here for quite some time and have been lurking around, making the occasional post, whenever I have some questions. So you can say this is my first thread.

I am basically in Dubai and go back home every year for about a month. I have been researching about obtaining a proper 4wheel drive to use when I am in India during my yearly visit. This car needs to handle the rough roads(tar and forest) of Kerala. This is in addition to a family car.

I have been browsing this excellent forum for quite some months now and have acquired some basic knowledge about jeeps.

I had in my mind two choices, either a CL340/Classic or MM540/MM550. But the pictures of Fazal's, Kittigadu's and others ride has now confirmed my choice to be an MM540/550. Also getting a CL340/ Classic seems to be costly and long process.

I have obtained lots of knowledge about the MM540/550, but still some questions persist.

I hope that the forum gurus can help this novice out and not dissuade me by telling me to search. Believe me, I have searched and read almost all posts in the 4x4 section.

My queries are:

1. Which is the best 540/550 in terms of reliability. I have found that the post 2000 one's chassis are weaker than the previous years. Is this true?
2. Is there any site that illustrates the different model years and their differences?
3. Is procuring a Army 550 better than a civilian 540. Is this process easy and can anyone guide me in this respect.
4. Can the doors of the 540 be removed easily when needed? Anyone has any pictures with the door removed?
5. I am not thinking of any AC or ICE in the jeep, but would like to get a good bikini top. Is this available to buy or needs to be custom made? (I am from Kerala and it rains heavy here)
6. I am still confused about which year model has the best engine in terms of reliability and which years have 5speed 4WD transmission.

Once again, i expect your positive responses and I doing this research before I get the jeep, as I have around 6 months before coming to India. So, I think, I have enough time to find my dream vehicle.

Regards

FK

[jeep540]

hi there ,
i own a 96 model 540 but i suggest mm550 is far better than mm540 coz it comes with power brakes , wider front axle + 4X4 and moreover they are hardly used.

[girish_8086]

Originally Posted by fk7

1. Which is the best 540/550 in terms of reliability. I have found that the post 2000 one's chassis are weaker than the previous years. Is this true?

4. Can the doors of the 540 be removed easily when needed? Anyone has any pictures with the door removed?

5. I am not thinking of any AC or ICE in the jeep, but would like to get a good bikini top. Is this available to buy or needs to be custom made? (I am from Kerala and it rains heavy here)

Hi FK,

few words in my view to your queries.
1. I feel both 540/550 are best in terms of reliability. No idea about the post 2000 one's chassis.

4. Doors of the 540 be removed easily whenever needed. please search in forum for Pics.

5. Since it rains heavily in Kerala, i feel instead of bikini top go for custom made top. pls have a look on modifications link for my MM540.
(http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/modifi...fications.html)

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[fk7]

hi thks for the input so far.

but as expected, more questions!!

i have these two pictures of the interior.



and



the placements of the meters in both are in different locations. Is this a change from being in two different year models? or is it a customization job?

Another question is that someone earlier mentioned hot air coming in from the engine to the driver area. Is this a common occurance ?

Once again, thx for all the help

FK

To the Mods: Sorry. I posted this in the other thread by mistake. Please delete my previous reply in the other thread

[star_aqua]

The placement of meters in the first pic is customized by Girish and also he has got power steering installed in it, hence the small steering wheel.
In the second pic what you see is the OEM dashboard and it is mm550 and not mm540 as girish's. and also this mm550 is an army spec.

[fk7]

Originally Posted by star_aqua

The placement of meters in the first pic is customized by Girish and also he has got power steering installed in it, hence the small steering wheel.
In the second pic what you see is the OEM dashboard and it is mm550 and not mm540 as girish's. and also this mm550 is an army spec.

thx star aqua for the quick response. I personally like the look of the 550 dials. Also I noticed one more thing, the pedals of the 550 are suspended and not from the floor as is the case in the 540.

Did any 540 ever come from the factory with suspended pedals? or is it only available in the 550?

I am really trying hard to get a 550, and any help from this forum would be much appreciated. If I dont get one, I would have to settle for a 540. I would like the 540 to have the same looks as the 550 (ie Dials behind the steering wheel and Suspended Pedals among other things).

I still dont know whether the XDP engine is good enough or should I settle for a jeep which has a bad engine so that I can change it to the XD3P.

regards

FK

[Kandisa]

Originally Posted by fk7

Also I noticed one more thing, the pedals of the 550 are suspended and not from the floor as is the case in the 540.

Did any 540 ever come from the factory with suspended pedals? or is it only available in the 550?

I am really trying hard to get a 550, and any help from this forum would be much appreciated. If I dont get one, I would have to settle for a 540. I would like the 540 to have the same looks as the 550 (ie Dials behind the steering wheel and Suspended Pedals among other things).

If I am not wrong, the suspended pedals are because of the disk brake/ servo assisted brakes instead of drums as was originally in the older 5x0s. So if you convert the drum brakes into either of those, the pedals will be suspended in stead of directly mounted on the floor.
Getting a good 5-speed 550 is next to impossible unless you are as lucky as Kitti. I guess if you come across a good 540 with active 4x4, its better to go for that.

[Sudipto-S-Team]

I wonder if this is the right place for such a discussion and possibly "what car" section would have been a better choice. But let the mods decide on that.
MM550 being an Army vehicle, it's available only from Army auction and the process of obtaining one is not very easy or smooth. Of course you can get one from someone who had initially bought it from the Army auction and is reselling it after reconditioning.
Army vehicles are auctioned off only after the last drop of juice is extracted out of it. So tread cautiously in this field. Find a reliable mechanic/workshop first before purchasing a vehicle.
The emotional frustration can be quite painful in such projects, if one is taken for a ride.

[whitemm550]

Originally Posted by fk7

thx star aqua for the quick response. I personally like the look of the 550 dials. Also I noticed one more thing, the pedals of the 550 are suspended and not from the floor as is the case in the 540.

Did any 540 ever come from the factory with suspended pedals? or is it only available in the 550?

I am really trying hard to get a 550, and any help from this forum would be much appreciated. If I dont get one, I would have to settle for a 540. I would like the 540 to have the same looks as the 550 (ie Dials behind the steering wheel and Suspended Pedals among other things).

I still dont know whether the XDP engine is good enough or should I settle for a jeep which has a bad engine so that I can change it to the XD3P.

regards

FK

hey mate, check out my ad on the classifieds

[sreerajunnithan]

Originally Posted by Kandisa

Getting a good 5-speed 550 is next to impossible unless you are as lucky as Kitti. I guess if you come across a good 540 with active 4x4, its better to go for that.

Kitti's 550 is not 5speed its a 4speed one. All army model came with 4 speed gear box. Mine is civilian 550 which has BA-10 5Speed Gearbox. Even Mahindra guys are unaware about their Models

Originally Posted by Sudipto-S-Team

MM550 being an Army vehicle, it's available only from Army auction and the process of obtaining one is not very easy or smooth. Of course you can get one from someone who had initially bought it from the Army auction and is reselling it after reconditioning.
Army vehicles are auctioned off only after the last drop of juice is extracted out of it. So tread cautiously in this field. Find a reliable mechanic/workshop first before purchasing a vehicle.
The emotional frustration can be quite painful in such projects, if one is taken for a ride.

There are civilian MM550s as well.

Originally Posted by fk7

I am really trying hard to get a 550, and any help from this forum would be much appreciated. If I dont get one, I would have to settle for a 540. I would like the 540 to have the same looks as the 550 (ie Dials behind the steering wheel and Suspended Pedals among other things).

I still dont know whether the XDP engine is good enough or should I settle for a jeep which has a bad engine so that I can change it to the XD3P.

regards

FK

There is one ad in carwale.com i confirmed its a 4WD. But price is 2.8L which is very high. Don't ever go for a restoration project if you don't have time to dedicate for that. Always look for a good condition Jeep.

Thanks
--Sree--

[fk7]

thank you all for your replies.

but one question is still not answered, so let me ask again.

Does the 540 come with original OEM suspended pedals? If so from which year onward?

Regards

FK

[Kandisa]

Originally Posted by sreerajunnithan

Kitti's 550 is not 5speed its a 4speed one. All army model came with 4 speed gear box.

Oh, forgot that his 550 is an army spec one Yeah, army people are more than comfortable with the 4 speed set-up.
@fk7, Along with carwale, check out the bharathautomobiles site also. There is a separate category for jeeps. Also check out kitti's thread on his jeep, he has compiled a good list of the various sites which can help you to get hold of one good jeep.

[sreerajunnithan]

Originally Posted by fk7

thank you all for your replies.

but one question is still not answered, so let me ask again.

Does the 540 come with original OEM suspended pedals? If so from which year onward?

Regards

FK

As far as i know it never came with suspended pedals. But still not sure coz its Mahindra. All suspended pedal models has brake boosters.

Thanks
--Sree--