[arjuna_r]

Hello Team BHPians,

I'm the owner of a fully arctic white Isuzu Dmax arch deck, which the dealer in Madurai delivered to me with temporary registration papers.

I intend to register my Dmax as a commercial vehicle, as pursuing private registration in Tamil Nadu seems to be a dead end (you can get a court order that leaves the decision up to RTO discretion, but they refuse to cooperate).

To complete registration, I've discovered I need to paint my vehicle yellow. Which I'm happy to do but there is some confusion I hope Team BHPians can help me clear up:

1. Is this the up to date law? Page 97 at this link: http://www.tn.gov.in/sta/tnmvr1989.PDF

2. It states that the entire vehicle can be painted yellow. I would prefer to do this but my local RTO (Batlagundu) says I cannot.

3. The rules say that alternatively I can paint the 'front and rear portions' yellow. Are they any other more guidelines on this?
What would you do to make this government prescribed artwork on my truck look the least bad?

Will attach pictures of the vehicle if I can edit this post later.

[Turbanator]

That's funny - complete yellow ? like here in Chandigarh they insists on yellow but that's essentially putting some Yellow Tapes on sides of trunk & bonnet

[hangover]

I'm pretty sure painting the front and rear yellow will suffice. Else it'll look like a canary. I've seen many TATA 207's with just that. And the front painting excluded the grill. So it's merely a yellow border around the front.

[condor]

Arjuna - how are the 207's in Madurai painted ? Suggest to follow that.

@Hangover - practices will vary a bit state to state.

[theexperthand]

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/commer...ml#post3769457

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/commer...ml#post3741676

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/commer...ml#post3489903

Please check these links - I think you do not need to paint your DMax Yellow. Also, try to get in touch with the member Lakshman - he owns a yellow board Dmax and is from TN. He may be able to help you out.

--Anoop

[hangover]

If you do register as a commercial vehicle you will have to wear a khakhi uniform. Is that okay with you?

One thing you can try. You may have seen trucks carrying generator sets in your city. Most of those seem to be non-yellow board and without any yellow paint.
See if you can register as a generator truck. If needed get a scrap generator just for the RTO inspection. I doubt they'll ask you to run it.

Once you have your number, quietly lose the load at the back.

[arjuna_r]

Originally Posted by hangover

I'm pretty sure painting the front and rear yellow will suffice. Else it'll look like a canary.

I'd actually prefer to be all yellow! I've seen this picture on the forums:

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/attach...x-dsc_0224.jpg

I'm asking if I'm allowed to have an all-yellow commercial vehicle. My RTO guy said no, so my plan is to paint just front bumper and tailgate for now.

Originally Posted by hangover

If you do register as a commercial vehicle you will have to wear a khakhi uniform. Is that okay with you?.

Yeah, I borrowed a khakhi uniform from someone when I went to get my commercial licence. I'll buy one, keep it in the truck and wear it when I'm driving

I'll add it to the list of pre-drive checks:

Check mirrors, check guages, check that I'm wearing khaki shirt...

Originally Posted by theexperthand

[url]
Please check these links - I think you do not need to paint your DMax Yellow. Also, try to get in touch with the member Lakshman - he owns a yellow board Dmax and is from TN. He may be able to help you out.

--Anoop

Thanks for the links sir. I'm quoting this post from Lakshman:

"Technically, I am flouting norms myself as Tamil Nadu state law requires a commercial vehicle to sport both a yellow bonnet and yellow tailgate, regardless of the colour of the vehicle. The dealer had to fit a yellow bonnet and tailgate onto my vehicle for registration purposes and reasembled my orginial bonnet and tailgate before delivery to me. I guess some laws are given more importance than others. It is weird and confusing. I'll just have to wait and see what issues come up over the period of my usage."

[DieselFan]

@Arjuna_r - I think the RTO is taking you for a big ride and they are expecting some sort of bribe. The best way to handle this is to raise a RTI query on the RTO as to how to register your DMAX? They would provide the entire rule documentation for you. Armed with it you can go to the RTO and cary out the registration.

[arjuna_r]

UPDATE: The vehicle is at the dealer's service centre/workshop in Madurai getting the front bumper and tailgate painted yellow.

I've read the excellent painting thread on these forums so had an informed chat with the man who does the actual painting. Chose a more 'lemon-y' or lighter yellow than you usually find on commercial vehicles.

Price (If I'm allowed to say): 6,000 rupees.

Will hear from them in approx. 2-3 days. Further updates to follow

[GTO]

Just a suggestion in case you or any other D-Max owner doesn't want to repaint brand new body panels.

Get a yellow wrap (vinyl)! They look really good and can be taken off whenever you wish. Quick install, less messy and won't affect your factory paint.

Source Thread:

[HammerHead]

Originally Posted by arjuna_r

Hello Team BHPians,

I intend to register my Dmax as a commercial vehicle, as pursuing private registration in Tamil Nadu seems to be a dead end (you can get a court order that leaves the decision up to RTO discretion, but they refuse to cooperate).

To complete registration, I've discovered I need to paint my vehicle yellow. Which I'm happy to do but there is some confusion I hope Team BHPians

I don't think you need to paint the whole vehicle yellow. You may simply wrap the front end with yellow vinyl.

Example:
Pics courtesy: Google search

[arjuna_r]

UPDATE

Just picked up the truck from the service centre/workshop outside Madurai. Happy enough with the work. More attention to detail would have been better around some of the edges which look like they may deteriorate and peel, and also they sprung a surprise Rs 870 service charge which they never told me about till the last minute.

Nevertheless, this looks way better to my eye than what they've done to all the other DMaxes in TN. (Total Cost: Rs 6,870)

The next obstacle is the RTO on Monday. Will let you know how that goes.

As mentioned earlier I'd still like to paint the whole vehicle yellow, but my RTO is not keen on that and it will cost approx. Rs 35,000

[DWind]

Just a quick question to arjuna_r and everybody..Since this is a commercial registration, would you have pass a Fitness Certification Test every year / periodically? And wont these tests require the same Yellow paint rule?

[slicvic]

why this rule at all. can someone shed some light on the history behind this rule

[arjuna_r]

UPDATE:

At the RTO in Batlagundu, they weren't happy with the colour (they wanted 'highway yellow') and the fact that the bonnet hadn't been painted. They could register the vehicle but would not issue the fitness certificate until the paint was changed.

I've seen no regulations governing the type and degree of yellowness required. My OP asked for this info, and as I've got no reply I assume no one else knows either. This has led me to conclude that it's up to RTO's discretion, and by not conforming to the 'standard' paintwork I've no option but to placate the man.

If I'm allowed to state, this involved Rs 1,000 (reduced from 2,000) for flag fund with receipt, and another Rs 3,000 negotiated down from Rs 5,000.

DWind: The vehicle is now fit for two years, after which the inspection will be yearly. At the moment I still plan to paint the entire vehicle the same yellow so can only imagine how much my dear RTO will require to overcome the shock of that.


So, at this stage, do I still think it's worth buying a DMax in Tamil Nadu for personal use?
Yes, and I hope to continue this thread in the future as a resource for those in TN considering buying one too, and for the entertainment of the rest