[predatorwheelz]

I'd heard a lot of horror stories about how a new Gypsy is difficult to get, how dealers will take years to get you a car, no choice of colour etc etc.

Last Friday my wife was sitting idle at home, so decided to use her free time. Gave her all the contact nos of all the dealers in Kolkata, and asked her to call them reg buying a new Gypsy. Her first line would be the standard "Hi, my husband and I are looking to buy a new maruti Gypsy. Can you get one for us? What would be the formalities involved?"

Dealer 1: Sorry maam, Gypsys are not available through showrooms anymore. You'll have to call up the company. Click!

Dealer 2: You want to buy WHAT? WHY? Alright, hold on. (After 10 mins) Hi maam, the person who takes care of selling Gypsys is not in right now. We'll ask him to call you.

(After 2 hrs, they actually call up). Hi Maam, this is reg your query blah blah. You see, we can get you a Gypsy, but the waiting time is 6 months. And we can get you only white, no other colour. And you'll have to pay us 1,83,000, 35pct of the ex showroom price, in advance. (These buggers must have badly burnt their fingers regarding an earlier Gypsy sale).

Dealer 3: (From here the surprise starts). Hi Maam. Yes, we can help you with buying a Gypsy. You will have to give us 1 months time if you want white, 2 months if you want green or red. Pay us 30K in advance.

Can you fit an AC?

Yes of course. We regularly fit ACs on Omnis, and once on a Gypsy as well. Will be done at our service centre.

Can you fit a PS?

No maam, no one can fit PS on Gypsy (We'll excuse them this one)

Can you arrange finance?

Of course, SBI finance at 8pct per annum.

Following this conversation, I actually went and met dealer 3. The sales guy stood by whatever he had said, and even called up the company to confirm his commitment of 1 month (or 2 months for green).

__________________________________________________ __________

So overall, a very positive response. Now that I know procuring a new Gypsy isnt that difficult, will keep it as a backup option.

[harjeev]

I had the same experience in Delhih. I visited 2 dealers Competent Motors and AAA Motors.
Both promised me to get the vehicle within 4-6 weeks of booking. but the down payment they demanded was 75% of the ex showroom price!!!
My experience is that its difficult to get a 2nd had gypsy in a decent shape and in a decent price!!!

[PatchyBoy]

@predatorwheelz : Just subscribed to this thread. Have always had the same dream and hope to convert it to reality one day

You might want to check out this link for HT ideas:
Suzuki Samurai hardtop photo gallery and 4x4 truck pictures

This link might help us see to what limits one can take a Gypsy to:
Suzuki Samurai Photo Gallery

I am not any kind of 4x4 expert or anything. Just another wannabe

Rajan

[tharakan9]

In trivandrum we were asked to pay 100% as advance. My friend did so in october 2008. We got the vehicle on the 19th of dec 2008. It was a white soft top.Though the dealer said that he would give power windows and all as accessories, its was not provided

[predatorwheelz]

Originally Posted by harjeev

but the down payment they demanded was 75% of the ex showroom price!!!

Originally Posted by tharakan9

In trivandrum we were asked to pay 100% as advance.

Thats exactly the point. Having to pay 75pct/100pct as advance means you'd need to have 4 -5 lakhs ready cash. Might be difficult for us poverty spec, salaried slave types.

But paying a smaller advance and getting finance on the rest is a feasible solution. Thats why now I can keep a new Gypsy as a backup option.

Originally Posted by PatchyBoy

You might want to check out this link for HT ideas:
Suzuki Samurai hardtop photo gallery and 4x4 truck pictures

This link might help us see to what limits one can take a Gypsy to:
Suzuki Samurai Photo Gallery

Thank you Rajan, excellent links. The hardtop I liked the most costs about a thousand dollars! I can pick up a fibreglass hardtop from a kabadiwala for a tenth of the price. Even a metal hardtop (with panoramic glass, the way Ayan wants) would be cheaper. Still, useful as a design inspiration.

Originally Posted by PatchyBoy

I am not any kind of 4x4 expert or anything. Just another wannabe.

Same here. I'm not even a novice off roader. Just an adventurer who wants to get off the beaten track once in a while.

[rhandle]

Originally Posted by phamilyman

I have a question: Why not hire a gypsy when you need it? This is alot of pain for little incremental value.

Not to mention you run the risk of divorce and dispossession from inheritance if you travel with family in a gypsy () - I once traveled 150km a side from a friend's place in Mumbai to Phansad wildlife sanctuary. By god ki kasam, every other bone in my body told its exact location (courtesy the roads). It was AWESOME off the road, but I got sick from all the thrashing around the gypsy subjects you to (navigator seat).

Sorry to rain down on your thread but I see alot of effort being planned. My little exp with autos tells me that there's no substitute for a brand new stock vehicle (like starter has done). Any army used vehicle will have been used for all of its possible usable life and then some (my friends say that its disposed only when the best of mechs think its not worth the effort at all)

I would anyday would go with this advice. If you have time, money and inclination to stand with the mechanics, leaving behind your family and kids, then it's OK. Had I been bachelor I would have gone through this way.

Think of new vehicle or Gurkha or Safari 4x4.

I guess for Gypsy and kind of drives you are planning my feeling is you would be paying more EMI as compared to a brand new car.

For example in My Gurkha I have gone from Delhi to Gangtok and Covered Delhi Mumbai in 20 hrs in full comfort, and did plenty of off-raoding while coming back, will Gypsy be able to take that abuse, IT MIGHT, but the question would be would you and your Family be able to take that abuse?

Since you are talking Bengal, assam, chattisgarh, orissa, in same breath. I am sure any one of the journey would be minimum 500 to 1000 kms and and how comfortable gypsy is going to be in terms of space, speed is anybody's guess.

As a second vehicle even I am tempted towards Gypsy. Actually I am looking for a vehicle which wud be just OTR vehicle. But would not think of it as a primary vehicle.

Sit down think again and again and do not let your heart rule over your head.

For example do atleast one trip in hired Gypsy with your family. And think how much you actually can upgrade it!

Same here. I'm not even a novice off roader. Just an adventurer who wants to get off the beaten track once in a while.

Dont you think Gypsy would be high priced vehicle in that case!!

For example in my case I at times feel the amount of off-roading I do, I might have been better off with a 4wd Safari or scorpio rather than this Gurkha. Okay I agree with you at times Heart rules over head

[AltoHoncho]

IMO Gypsy would definitely be capable of taking the beating as much as any other off-roader available in the market, be it a Safari , Scorpio or a Gurkha (in ascending order).
The point is comfort to the family and the driver, a good thing to do would be to hire a gypsy and set off for a long drive and some off-roading as well (gosh ! I was about to write Off-shoring ).

[Ramsagar]

What up with the project.How is it moving?

[vampire]

PREDATOR
great thread.appreciate the effort you put for the initial write up. might be an inspiration for a lot to take up projects like yours.(especially me)
Do keep us updating about your progress.


Godspeed

[jaysmokesleaves]

@Predatorwheelz >> On the onset it looks like an inspiring project, like a boyhood dream rather. But I honestly dont think its a very good idea to take your entire family out on such long trips in a gypsy. It does sound good & adventerous etc etc. And the gypsy is surely one super reliable workhorse. But if your trips are over 70% onroad and considering all the states you plan to travel, the roads arent really good & it will take a toll on the spines & necks of all the passengers and get you all tired. A tiring journey dilutes the fun quotient. The gypsy experience in the tea estate was certainly good, but that does not exactly make the gypsy a family tourer even with ac & ps.

Not trying to discourage you but just sharing my POV in the interest of fellow passengers.

Cheers,

Jay

[annu0706]

hi predatorwheelz,
as i told you i would be going to mayapuri, my trip was excellent as i could source a king for my self. the guy at mayapuri has a 2005 or 06 mpfi for 2.35+, he also has a 2000 army mpfi king for 1.75 if you are interested i'll pm you his no.
here is the mpfi adv's pick

[Gurkha]

Gypsy runs best when stock with minimal mods. Its suspension is an asset in itself even though it sacrifices in terms of ride comfort. If one knows the limits of the Gypsy, the same suspension can take you over terrain only few others barring Gurkha would be able to manage. All it needs is some minor bolstering here and there. Start with Yokohama AT-S tires size 235-75x15 on 7.5x15 alloys. Put Billstein or Tockico HD shocks, get original Toyo leaf springs front and rear with neoprene bushes. Also the transfer case mount and leaf spring anchors need strengthening. Apart from that, you absolutely need to do nothing to it. For seats grab Innova seats and get them padded extra. Samurai also benefits greatly from front sump cum control arm guard which can be machined by any competent shop. Leave the engine alone, most of the times I see heavily modded Samurais/Gypsies faring poorly off road as they loose all the tractability in the small gasoline engine which is already hampered by lack of low end torque.

[ex670c]

Hi Aniket,

You can also go the M&M way in purchasing a Armada Grand preferably a Bolero 4WD.

If it is an XD3P 4WD Bolero then convert it to DI-Turbo + NGT520 & T-Case and add 31" (AT)Tyres.

The Armada Grand will require more work and is not as refined as the Bolero.

Regards,

Arka

[predatorwheelz]

Originally Posted by Gurkha

Gypsy runs best when stock with minimal mods. Its suspension is an asset in itself even though it sacrifices in terms of ride comfort. If one knows the limits of the Gypsy, the same suspension can take you over terrain only few others barring Gurkha would be able to manage. All it needs is some minor bolstering here and there. Start with Yokohama AT-S tires size 235-75x15 on 7.5x15 alloys. Put Billstein or Tockico HD shocks, get original Toyo leaf springs front and rear with neoprene bushes. Also the transfer case mount and leaf spring anchors need strengthening. Apart from that, you absolutely need to do nothing to it. For seats grab Innova seats and get them padded extra. Samurai also benefits greatly from front sump cum control arm guard which can be machined by any competent shop. Leave the engine alone, most of the times I see heavily modded Samurais/Gypsies faring poorly off road as they loose all the tractability in the small gasoline engine which is already hampered by lack of low end torque.

Thank you Doc. As usual, your suggestions are golden. A few questions:

1. Why 235/75 R15 on 7.5X15 alloys? Why not 215/75 R15 on 6.5 or 7X15 alloys? (I say this because I'm partial to 215 width, as also the fact that I have found a nice design in HR Alloys, 7X15 and 139.5mm PCD)

2. What is a front sump cum control arm guard? Can you post a pic of the area you are talking about? (If you don't, it'll give me one more reason to raid your house at Kalyani and check it out myself).

3. Still, the biggest problem remains getting an MPFI example at a decent price. Including you, a lot of people have advised me to stay away from ex-army vehicles. Maybe buying new is the only choice left.

An apology to you and everyone following this thread. Project Nomad is very much on, and will start as soon as I lay my hands on an MPFI Gypsy.

Edit: Hey Arka, saw your post after submitting this reply. Well, I have said at the very outset that I'm not considering a Mahindra 4X4 for this project, for the simple reason that Nomad has to be a competent highway vehicle as well. As much as I'm in love with an ex-army MM550 after that last Kolkata OTR (UBS would know), I don't think any Mahindra 4X4 is refined enough to do a 500 km trip and keep its driver (even remotely) fresh at the end of it. Plus I'm not going to use Nomad for very hardcore offroading.

[pdev29]

2001 army disposal for 2.20, let me know if you want to pick it up.