[Altocumulus]

Awesome Sumitro. Congratulations !!! Lets meet up soon. I want to see 'Sherpa' in person.

[Kandisa]

As already conveyed in the THAR review thread, heartiest congratulations. Interesting to see the decision mechanism behind the jeep. Though i wonder how much attention the Bolero is now going to get. A peppier engine with far better acceleration and the jeep factor is bound to go in favour of the THAR.
I happened to visit a Mahindra showroom recently to have a casual look at the latest edition THAR but the vehicle couldn't go beyond 1 km from the showroom because of various malfunctions, unknown to the showroom people! The bumper looks good (it has to be as i know the source from which the design was copied ) but same can't be said about the quality.
So any plan to go for a hard top sooner or later? The kind of journeys you do i think it is going to be a must on to-do list. Enjoy your jeep

[gearhead_mait]

Many congratulations for your 4-legged Sherpa. Going forward, I expect you to jot down the detailed ownership report (progressive) of your acquisition in this thread.
Happy experimenting and wish many more happy miles ahead!

[luvtandon]

Many congratulations on the acquisition of The Sherpa BlackPearl. Yours was a captivating decision making process and to say that the final decision came straight from the sovereign authority (no pun intended) . Just imagining the Bolero and The Sherpa, both 4x4, standing abreast in the garage, the sight will be one to behold. Wishing you many a happy, safe and niggle free miles. Eagerly waiting for your extensive travelogues with The Sherpa.

[GrayBerry]

Congrats on the Thar. Looks great as you have kept it simple. I like the hub and tyres.
Question: Did you consider Skoda Yeti? Guess it is one of the best alround vehicle.

[premjit]

Sumitro,

Fantastic and honest review of the vehicle. I specially loved the way you put the facts on the table. I am sure many prospective owners will be greatly benefited from this thread. Eagerly await the next meet so I can get a chance to drive the Thar for the first time.

Cheers,
Premjit

[megazoid]

Congrats BlackPearl. Neat looking Thar. Hope you munch a zillion miles with this one.

[Nats]

Great Vehicle to own, quite unconventional to be precise. Please add some interior photos too.

[DHABHAR.BEHRAM]

Originally Posted by BlackPearl

Introducing the Sherpa, a Mahindra Thar CRDe 4x4.
1. Why Thar? The answer is quite simple. The vehicle had to be 4x4 and it had to be decently fast. Once you go 4WD there is no looking back. 4WD has allowed me to go to places that 2WDs can only dream of and it has saved me quite a few times from painful and time consuming detours on the state highways and in the hills. So if it is an SUV it has to be 4WD.
2. It is impossible not to show off the Thar.
3. Rajsri happened to drive it for a short distance, her first experience at the wheels of the Thar. That same evening Rajsri told me that she was bowled over by the acceleration of the Thar and I could buy it.
4. While parking the vehicle I found out that the tyres were squealing and screeching on tight slow turns. I was told to first engage the 4WD, then disengage and reverse for about 10 to 12 meters. I followed the instruction and the problem was resolved. The auto locking hub is painful. One has to reverse a few meters after disengaging the 4WD. I think the fixed flanges would be far more headache free.
5. I have driven the Thar sedately for the first 1000 kms and it returned a mileage of around 11.5 kmpl in city. After crossing the 1000 km mark, did some spirited highway driving and it returned 11.75 kmpl.
6. I have been able to engage the 4WD only once on Thar yet and that too for a photo-shoot on a small mound. What impressed me was the articulation of the wheels in spite of having IFS at the front. It climbed the mound easily and the wheels were not slipping due to the articulation. A gypsy was struggling at the same place as one wheel was losing traction due to lack of articulation.
7. There is too much wind noise. The soft top starts flapping at above 80 kmph and the noise can be tiresome over long distance. At speedo indicated 140 kmph the noise becomes unbearable. It seems as if the entire roof is going to get torn apart. The wind noise can very easily become annoying and stressful.
8. One of my friends was selling of his rocky beige Thar and he had Kumho Road Venture AT tyres on the vehicle. They were 31x10.5xR15 tyres on killer looking black HRS alloys. He had another set of alloys for the Thar as well. So I made a deal with him and got those tyres and alloys for my Thar. The tyres had 20000 kilometers on them and all I can say that I was not able to handle the Thar with those tyres. The vehicle was not stopping properly, the handling was all messed up and I ended up being unhappy. So within the next two days I found a person who was willing to get those tyres for his MM550. I got the Michelin LTX tyres from the Bolero installed on the 15" alloys and put them on the Thar. The Bolero is now running on the 16" Bridgestone Duelers. Though the 235/75/R15 tyres are just about 0.1 inch more on the diameter than the stock Thar tyres, the front tyres are fouling with the plastic wheel arches under articulation. Maybe the front ride height needs to be adjusted. For now I have removed the wheel arches. The ride quality has improved a bit with the 15 inch tyres and handling is acceptable.
9. The seating position is commanding and there is good view of the road ahead. I do not push the seat all the way back.
10. The engine is a gem and pulls neatly from 1200 rpm onward and there is negligible turbo lag. The first 3 gears are not too tall. The 5th gear can pull steadily from 50 kmph to speedo indicated 145 kmph. At 145 kmph on the speedo the GPS shows 135 kmph. There is no need to downshift frequently on the highway. One can easily drive it like an automatic on the highway.
11. The brakes are much improved from the 2012 Thar of my friend.
12. The Thar is a capable vehicle on the mountains. The turning radius is small, the vehicle is nimble and K turns are easy on those narrow mountain roads.
13. On the open highway it can easily keep up with the hatchbacks and sedans till 120 kmph. In the plains, the Thar is a joy to drive. Overtaking is a breeze and does not need long term planning like that in the Bolero.
14. We went for a 600 Km road trip and the Thar has been able to bring a grin on Rajsri's face. Such has been the effect of the performance of the Thar that she told me yesterday it would be a good idea to sell the Bolero and get a Rocky Beige Thar!

Dear Black Pearl (Sumitro) - congratulations! Thank you for your comments. I have numbered them from 1 to 14. My replies are as follows:

1. Correct. Once we know the power of 4WD, 2WD is nothing. As far as I am concerned, whether I use 4WD or not, the very fact that I have it gives me huge peace of mind!
2. Correct. I know that it turns heads wherever it goes. The whole intent was to make it a head turner by making it look exactly the way it does! And it can be made still better just by playing around with the body / canopy color combination. On 21 December 2014, it will be 4 years since launch and it still has only black canopies, oh come on now! .
3. Correct. Acceleration is one of it's major USP. It makes people to buy it. When people buy products, business gets done!
4. You mentioned that you are not a very avid off-roader, therefore free wheeling hubs is the better option for you. The complete front drivetrain will not rotate when you are in 2WD. This will give you better coefficient of rolling resistance, leading to better fuel efficiency. You must not mind reversing a couple of meters more for gaining this huge advantage. However, I agree that for hard core off-roading, fixed flanges are the best.
5. You will get around 13 kmpl. Don't expect more than that.
6. Low range with 4.3:1 axles will pull you out of most situations if you drive sensibly. The whole driveline can be still further upgraded, everything is available, it's a meccano fit but nobody has done it so far in the field.
7. There is something really wrong with the canopy now. One of my dear friends has just purchased the limited edition vehicle in Mumbai. Besides looking horrendous in brown color with the stickers and stuff, I saw the canopy and I could only quietly smile. A lot of "value engineering" seems to have happened without understanding how it will affect the performance for you, as the final customer. It is nowhere near to what it was when I had done it in January 2010. Take it up and get it corrected. Tell them to just go back to 2010 and refrain from doing such things!
8. Oh no! You have done what 99.9% of guys do, everything incorrect. I humbly suggest you to please go back to the production tires as they are still there on your Bolero. Last weekend I met a friend of mine who did the same silly thing to his vehicle in Mumbai and now he is complaining of poor ride quality!
9. The seating position is exactly same as Bolero VLX as the floor is of Bolero only. The seats are also of Bolero VLX only, only the upholstery color is different.
10. Correct. The engine can be still further upgraded for power, everything is available, it's a meccano fit but nobody has done it so far in the field.
11. Whatever is done to the brakes is in the correct direction so it works. You can still get much better brakes than what you have got, everything is available, it's a meccano fit but nobody has done it so far in the field.
12. Correct. The dimensions are just right, to look at as well as to drive.
13. Yes, on the highways, it indeed goes, if driven fast and responsibly, it will eat just about everything on the highways.
14. This is the ultimate statement, coming from a customer. Please accept my humble "thank you" for it! This statement deserves a smiley!

.

Enjoy!

Best regards,

Behram Dhabhar

[ryshah1991]

Hey , first off all, i really like the colour, its really superb. i briefly drove a rented Thar in Goa and i was blown away at its ease of use and the performance of the engine and the sheer road presence. now i am lusting after a Thar and looking forward to buying one.
way to go and i really dig the name

[BlackPearl]

Originally Posted by Samba

Let me be the first one to congratulate you on your latest awesome acquisition.
Thanks for such a detailed review on the machine. Seeing your and Himadri da's Thar am turning out to be a Thar fan boy! Rated 5* for this awesome report.

To be very honest i was seeing less in the front and more in my car's rear view mirror to see the dynamics of the Thar and i must say am mighty impressed with Thar's handling added with your driving skills.

I sat in the driving seat of your Thar for a minute and i must say the seating position was addictive. After getting used to the low slung hatches and sedans with the 'in' the car feel, while seating inside the Thar i had a 'on' the car feel as if am on the top of the world ! It definitely inspires more confidence while driving. This feel is there with other Suv's too but the Thar has it own charm.

Thanks Samba, get hold of a Thar before they stop making it

Originally Posted by himadrimondal

Superb description with rocking photographs. The modifications look fantastic, specially the front bumper. White looks so cool. Congrats and many many more happy miles to come.

Thanks Himadri. I owe thanks to you as I have mentioned in the opening post as well.

Originally Posted by dj78

Very well compiled review Sumitro. The well analyzed details would be helpful to anyone contemplating this vehicle.

Thanks dj78!!

Originally Posted by CoolBlueBiker

Congratulations on your new ride The mods carried on are tasteful. I especially liked the Black Alloys Goes very well with the white colour.

Thanks CoolBlueBiker!!

Originally Posted by psurelia

That's a brilliant and honest review!!! Please keep the thread updated with details and pictures as your "Project Thar" progresses further. I simply loved reading it.

Thanks Partha!!

Originally Posted by humyum

Awesome review. Had kept me glued throughout.

How is the clutch hardness btw? Does driving in the city lead to a leg ache ? Compare the Thar's clutch hardness to say a Swift Diesel, how would you rate it ? I am asking because clutch hardness is a paramount thing for me when I buy a car.

The clutch is fine, it is not hard at all even compared to petrol vehicles, but the gear shift is not smooth.

Originally Posted by humyum

I don't know if I will ever buy a Thar but I would definitely want to get married to a girl who tells me 'I want a Thar'

Ha ha ha .. well said. I know a person who wanted to buy an Ertiga but his wife forced him to get a Thar.

Originally Posted by swami69

Hi Blackpearl,

Congratulations on your "The Sherpa" and welcome to the Thar group. A great write up on arriving at the decision of buying a Thar and fantastic photos. Your Thar looks wonderful in white and black combination. Enjoy your ride.

Swami

Thanks a lot Swami. I had gone through your thread on the Thar multiple times. You are a great DIY guy and the Thar is perfect for you.

Originally Posted by cityvic

Blackpearl, congratulations on your latest purchase. Looks stunning.
Would love to have a chance to check it out whenever we meet next.

Thanks Rohin. Please let me know when you are in town next time and we will meet.

Originally Posted by justwheels

A Thar is a Thar in all ways. And "Sherpa" is a nice nickname for it.

Many congratulations for the Thar, and many happy miles crunching on the beast. With a Bolero 4WD and a Thar 4X4, your garage is like "conquer all places".

A nice buying experience log and looking forward to some nice travelogues of Sherpa.

Thanks justwheels. I am waiting to go on a long trip with the Thar in the Himalayas.

Originally Posted by sjcherian

Welcome to the Thar Owner community. Nice writeup and great photos too. Cool name for the Thar as well. Liked the Alloys too.

Thanks sjcherian!!

Originally Posted by B O V

Well this is the first time I've ventured into the 4x4 n offroading bit of the T-bhp forums.

Worth it.Your Thar looks absolutely stunning!I like the white and black combination you've done.Looks very neat.Also suv's/offroaders looks very nice in white.Especially with some mud splashed on

Just a suggestion,I think it'd look really cool if you de-badge it and add subtle Thar badging(in black),On the side of the hood for example.It would go well with the whole white and black.

Regards

Thanks for the nice words B O V. I wanted to de-badge the vehicle and had requested the sales guy to do it, but he said that he cannot do it before vehicle registration. Now that the vehicle is registered, I have to push my lazy bones to do it myself. I need to remove that horrible 4x4 badging in red pretty fast.

Originally Posted by Sutripta

Did you think of buying that?

Regards
Sutripta

Yes I had thought of buying it at first but the high ROI on used car loan did not make sense. Moreover after owning several pre-owned vehicles I have come to the conclusion that I do not have much attachment to those vehicles compared to the ones bought new from the showroom.

Originally Posted by aak91

Brilliant writeup Sumitro da. Would love to check out the baby in flesh.

Thanks aak91. Sure, we can catch up during the tbhp winter meet.

Originally Posted by Altocumulus

Awesome Sumitro. Congratulations !!! Lets meet up soon. I want to see 'Sherpa' in person.

Thanks Sugata. Yes we need to meet, even I have not seen the Ritz.

Originally Posted by Kandisa

As already conveyed in the THAR review thread, heartiest congratulations. Interesting to see the decision mechanism behind the jeep. Though i wonder how much attention the Bolero is now going to get. A peppier engine with far better acceleration and the jeep factor is bound to go in favour of the THAR.
I happened to visit a Mahindra showroom recently to have a casual look at the latest edition THAR but the vehicle couldn't go beyond 1 km from the showroom because of various malfunctions, unknown to the showroom people! The bumper looks good (it has to be as i know the source from which the design was copied ) but same can't be said about the quality.
So any plan to go for a hard top sooner or later? The kind of journeys you do i think it is going to be a must on to-do list. Enjoy your jeep

Thanks Kandisa!! Regarding hard top, I am not inclined towards it simply because I am not liking the looks of any of the hard tops. No doubt that it will make the vehicle much more safe, but I am planning to use the Thar with the mentality of a biker. We will travel light and take the belongings along with us when leaving the vehicle. For those trips where we will need a lot of luggage we will take the Bolero.

Originally Posted by gearhead_mait

Many congratulations for your 4-legged Sherpa. Going forward, I expect you to jot down the detailed ownership report (progressive) of your acquisition in this thread.
Happy experimenting and wish many more happy miles ahead!

Thanks gearhead_mait !! Yes I will keep on updating the thread.

Originally Posted by luvtandon

Many congratulations on the acquisition of The Sherpa BlackPearl. Yours was a captivating decision making process and to say that the final decision came straight from the sovereign authority (no pun intended) . Just imagining the Bolero and The Sherpa, both 4x4, standing abreast in the garage, the sight will be one to behold. Wishing you many a happy, safe and niggle free miles. Eagerly waiting for your extensive travelogues with The Sherpa.

Thanks a lot luvtandon!!

Originally Posted by GrayBerry

Congrats on the Thar. Looks great as you have kept it simple. I like the hub and tyres.
Question: Did you consider Skoda Yeti? Guess it is one of the best alround vehicle.

Thanks GrayBerry. I did not consider the Skoda Yeti as it was way out of my budget. I have a friend who has an Yeti and it is a lovely vehicle.

Originally Posted by premjit

Sumitro,

Fantastic and honest review of the vehicle. I specially loved the way you put the facts on the table. I am sure many prospective owners will be greatly benefited from this thread. Eagerly await the next meet so I can get a chance to drive the Thar for the first time.

Cheers,
Premjit

Thanks Premjit. We are practically neighbours yet we don't meet often because of your busy schedule. Stop travelling to Chennai and take time out for your friends more often

Originally Posted by megazoid

Congrats BlackPearl. Neat looking Thar. Hope you munch a zillion miles with this one.

Thanks megazoid !!

Originally Posted by Nats

Great Vehicle to own, quite unconventional to be precise. Please add some interior photos too.

Thanks Nats. I will definitely add some interior pictures quite soon.

Originally Posted by DHABHAR.BEHRAM

Dear Black Pearl (Sumitro) - congratulations! Thank you for your comments. I have numbered them from 1 to 14. My replies are as follows:

1. Correct. Once we know the power of 4WD, 2WD is nothing. As far as I am concerned, whether I use 4WD or not, the very fact that I have it gives me huge peace of mind!
2. Correct. I know that it turns heads wherever it goes. The whole intent was to make it a head turner by making it look exactly the way it does! And it can be made still better just by playing around with the body / canopy color combination. On 21 December 2014, it will be 4 years since launch and it still has only black canopies, oh come on now! .
3. Correct. Acceleration is one of it's major USP. It makes people to buy it. When people buy products, business gets done!
4. You mentioned that you are not a very avid off-roader, therefore free wheeling hubs is the better option for you. The complete front drivetrain will not rotate when you are in 2WD. This will give you better coefficient of rolling resistance, leading to better fuel efficiency. You must not mind reversing a couple of meters more for gaining this huge advantage. However, I agree that for hard core off-roading, fixed flanges are the best.
5. You will get around 13 kmpl. Don't expect more than that.
6. Low range with 4.3:1 axles will pull you out of most situations if you drive sensibly. The whole driveline can be still further upgraded, everything is available, it's a meccano fit but nobody has done it so far in the field.
7. There is something really wrong with the canopy now. One of my dear friends has just purchased the limited edition vehicle in Mumbai. Besides looking horrendous in brown color with the stickers and stuff, I saw the canopy and I could only quietly smile. A lot of "value engineering" seems to have happened without understanding how it will affect the performance for you, as the final customer. It is nowhere near to what it was when I had done it in January 2010. Take it up and get it corrected. Tell them to just go back to 2010 and refrain from doing such things!
8. Oh no! You have done what 99.9% of guys do, everything incorrect. I humbly suggest you to please go back to the production tires as they are still there on your Bolero. Last weekend I met a friend of mine who did the same silly thing to his vehicle in Mumbai and now he is complaining of poor ride quality!
9. The seating position is exactly same as Bolero VLX as the floor is of Bolero only. The seats are also of Bolero VLX only, only the upholstery color is different.
10. Correct. The engine can be still further upgraded for power, everything is available, it's a meccano fit but nobody has done it so far in the field.
11. Whatever is done to the brakes is in the correct direction so it works. You can still get much better brakes than what you have got, everything is available, it's a meccano fit but nobody has done it so far in the field.
12. Correct. The dimensions are just right, to look at as well as to drive.
13. Yes, on the highways, it indeed goes, if driven fast and responsibly, it will eat just about everything on the highways.
14. This is the ultimate statement, coming from a customer. Please accept my humble "thank you" for it! This statement deserves a smiley!

.

Enjoy!

Best regards,

Behram Dhabhar

Thanks Behram Sir. I am elated that you took time out to read the entire post, analyzed it and gave your valuable feedback. I have gone through your replies in each and every thread on Thar. I have one question though. What does meccano fit means?

Originally Posted by ryshah1991

Hey , first off all, i really like the colour, its really superb. i briefly drove a rented Thar in Goa and i was blown away at its ease of use and the performance of the engine and the sheer road presence. now i am lusting after a Thar and looking forward to buying one.
way to go and i really dig the name

Thanks ryshah1991. I am glad that you liked the colour. The Thar is really a pleasure to drive with that lively engine. Wish you get the Thar pretty soon.

[dean5545]

Are you sure on the fuel tank size ? The max we could fill in our Thar was 43litres that too when the needle was below E.
All the best for the Thar been our daily ride to college for more than a year. In the beginning just keep checking the coolant level they seem to drop when the engine is new.
We got bored with 100 hp so remapped it to 140bhp now it's a true rocket.
You may also want to invest in a Hardtop the noise the canopy makes during high speeds had my eardrums ringing even after getting home. It also makes you a lot more tired.
All the best!

[Sheel]

Blackpearl, next time you are passing around, please do wait for a cuppa at my place (anywhere on the bypass) I would like to feel the Sherpa and I hope to introduce it to my Explorer (Hopefully, it should arrive in the next 10 days & that I have already christened it )

[JASMEET MATTOO]

Spectacular review! Congrats on buying one of the best looking sets of wheels! The Thar is a sure shot head turner. Can you please share some interior pics as well.

[KkVaidya]

Originally Posted by dean5545

Are you sure on the fuel tank size ? The max we could fill in our Thar was 43litres that too when the needle was below E.

Even I am not able to fill in more then 43litres to be exact at needle pointing E. Maybe they have put 15 liters under reserve band.

Originally Posted by BlackPearl

The rear bumper and central console have arrived but are yet to be fitted.

One advice on the center console is not to cut the audio system bracket. I had it installed at the dealer & he cut the whole bracker to fit the console. Now there was no space to fit an audio system but to hook it up on the top. The sides of the player will remain open and look ugly retro-fitted job like in a State transport bus.