[abhikb]

Late post alert

73rd Republic Day drive:

Celebrated Republic Day with a convoy style drive to Sant Sarovar Dam, Gandhinagar followed with a good off roading session with our group of Thars.

Two bhpians AnishD and Petrolhead.fd were also part of the group. Will let the photos do the talking.

[abhikb]

Headlight Upgrade:

Thar CRDe or for that matter the new Thar 2020 gets pathetic headlights. The throw was just not enough, especially poor on the highways at night and worst during the rains.

After deliberating for last many months, finally got the bulbs replaced with Osram H4, 100/90 W bulbs (courtesy bhpian AnishD). The throw is pretty good now and suffices the requirement during night driving.

Before and after photos to understand better:





The ODO is now little over 37K Kms and what do I say about this beauty, loving every bit of the ownership.

Cheers !!!

[jai_asnani98]

Hey Abhik!
Had read your review long ago but couldn't comment back then as I did not hold a TBhp membership. What particularly grabbed my attention was the simple but catchy title and I truly love your intricate review which I find to be the plain truth. No sweet talk to try and convince oneself about the shortcomings.
I'm so jealous of the lucky lot who jumped at the chance to buy Thar 700 back then and I concur with you that the new Thar does not retain the OG Jeep look. While I do find it appealing, it stands nowhere near the old Thar at least for me.
Sadly, I missed that bus and do hope to get my hands on a used one in future and fulfil my childhood dream too! It's uncanny how majority of Jeep lovers have drooled over them since childhood but due to circumstances could not accomplish the dream back then.
Here's hoping to add my name to that list earlier than the others�� Ha Ha Ha.
Cheers

[abhikb]

Originally Posted by jai_asnani98

Hey Abhik!
Had read your review long ago but couldn't comment back then as I did not hold a TBhp membership. What particularly grabbed my attention was the simple but catchy title and I truly love your intricate review which I find to be the plain truth. No sweet talk to try and convince oneself about the shortcomings.
I'm so jealous of the lucky lot who jumped at the chance to buy Thar 700 back then and I concur with you that the new Thar does not retain the OG Jeep look. While I do find it appealing, it stands nowhere near the old Thar at least for me.
Sadly, I missed that bus and do hope to get my hands on a used one in future and fulfil my childhood dream too! It's uncanny how majority of Jeep lovers have drooled over them since childhood but due to circumstances could not accomplish the dream back then.
Here's hoping to add my name to that list earlier than the others�� Ha Ha Ha.
Cheers

Thanks buddy for the nice words, yes I was aware about the shortcomings and rather than trying to cover it up it’s better to accept and adapt asap. As far as getting the 700 is considered I was plain lucky is all I would say. A thar is nowhere close to a regular car, but what else in the world can skip a heartbeat when You spot one on the road.

Anyways it’s been an eventful journey so far and I plan to retain my 700 CRDe as long as the norms allow it too, my little one is 2.5 years old and is highly fond of our Jeep. Took her out in a friend’s Thar 2020 couple of times and she says “babba, this Jeep is not good, our Jeep is better”.

A sign off pic with my cutie pie

[jai_asnani98]

Originally Posted by abhikb

I plan to retain my 700 CRDe as long as the norms allow it too

How long do you think will these be allowed on the road? Would it make sense to invest in a used one at this point of time?

[abhikb]

Originally Posted by jai_asnani98

How long do you think will these be allowed on the road? Would it make sense to invest in a used one at this point of time?

15 years from the date of registration is standard validity provided apart from Delhi NCR where it is 10 years. Post 15 years, you need to apply for Fitness certificate every 5 years to keep it running.

As far as a preowned CRDe is concerned, it’s best to buy a post 2015 model, since it had better dashboard, a mechanical locking differential at the rear and a few more upgrades.

Even if you are getting a 2015-16 model, it would have a validity upto 2030 which is still a long way. Unless Delhi NCR type rule of 10 year validity for diesel vehicles. I would suggest you look for 2017-19 models since those were the most sorted ones and even if the 10 year rule is enforced in your city, it will still be able to run upto 2028-2029 without hassle.

To conclude, what will happen after 5 years no one knows, better you get a pre owned 2017-2019 models this year and fulfill your dream, I just did that a couple of years ago 😉

[jai_asnani98]

Yes I have been looking at a few options but are surely overpriced. A 2019 CRDe that's clocked less than 10k Kms is priced at just under 10L. I believe this is the same as the ex showroom price of a CRDe Abs. The Signature edition ex showroom was 50k more than the latter.
Will anyways have to check it out in person and hope for a well maintained Thar.

[abhikb]

Originally Posted by jai_asnani98

Yes I have been looking at a few options but are surely overpriced. A 2019 CRDe that's clocked less than 10k Kms is priced at just under 10L. I believe this is the same as the ex showroom price of a CRDe Abs. The Signature edition ex showroom was 50k more than the latter.
Will anyways have to check it out in person and hope for a well maintained Thar.

You are right, 700 CRDe was priced at 9.99 Lakhs Ex-Showroom, due to price rise of new cars and coupled with the success of new Thar the older CRDe has also grown costly, but I would say it’s still worth paying the price if you have the itch to get one, trust me every penny is worth.

Routine update:

Somebody or rather some random gentle human being (sarcastically speaking) rammed into my parked Thar and the result was a bent bumper on the co-driver side. Took it to the SVC to check the extent of the damage or does it require replacement, fortunately it was repaired at a nominal cost of Rs. 1180 since only the front member had bent. On the other hand the ABS sensor light is continuously blinking, the primary check at SVC suggested to go for a ABS sensor replacement. The sensor is not available in stock hence has been order by the SVC, let’s see how many days it will take to reach.





Sunday OTR

Had a good healthy OTR session last Sunday, as usual we enjoyed to the core and my 3507 did all the obstacles without a fuss, at par with the new Thar.

Few pictures of the outing:

[ph03n!x]

Originally Posted by jai_asnani98

...
...
No sweet talk to try and convince oneself about the shortcomings.
I'm so jealous of the lucky lot who jumped at the chance to buy Thar 700 back then and I concur with you that the new Thar does not retain the OG Jeep look. While I do find it appealing, it stands nowhere near the old Thar at least for me.
...

Originally Posted by abhikb

...
A thar is nowhere close to a regular car, but what else in the world can skip a heartbeat when You spot one on the road.
...

By virtue of owning the 2020 Thar, I'll presume the qualification to say this - comparing the new Thar to the original (Thar/ Classic/ MM/ CJ) is like comparing Mohd. Rafi or Kishore Kumar to the new-age remix singers. The original character can never be matched - and this is true to all modern GP/ Willy's derivatives including Wranglers and Broncos and everyone else.

The shortcomings are actually the character, which makes them special.

My dad used to talk to his 540. He - the 540 - had a distinct Diesel smell (my dad too, after his day with his jeep). He was so rusted, fragile but yet was so damn resilient. He was not just bought, he was remade - almost every panel rebuilt/ redone/ modified. Simple and robust.

As an individual, given a choice between a pristine Go Devil CJ3A and my Thar, I'll pick the 3A. When you own a true-blue jeep, you're invested in it. It's a part of your life. There is no Point A to Point B - every mile is a memory.

But I never could own a original Thar/ Classic/ MM/ CJ for myself, and the 540 is no longer in existence. I might have never owned the 2020 Thar either, had I followed the traditional Indian vehicle buying 'procedures'.

But considering the 2020 Thar stands to be a ladder-frame car (blasphemy - I never address or let anyone address my Thar a car!) with 4x4, it makes owning and driving one easier, and has stricken a (unconvincing) balance between what the family wants, and what I desire. It replaces my daily office ride without much of a compromise. It probably can do everything the elder siblings did, while keeping me cozy comfortable.

But there lies the fallacy - it no longer carries the jeep character.

I'm in no way unhappy with my 2020 Thar, quite the opposite - I've been using it like a car and abusing it like I should a jeep do. But someday. Someday, I'll find a pristine that I can talk to...

[abhikb]

Originally Posted by ph03n!x

By virtue of owning the 2020 Thar, I'll presume the qualification to say this - comparing the new Thar to the original (Thar/ Classic/ MM/ CJ) is like comparing Mohd. Rafi or Kishore Kumar to the new-age remix singers. The original character can never be matched - and this is true to all modern GP/ Willy's derivatives including Wranglers and Broncos and everyone else.

But there lies the fallacy - it no longer carries the jeep character.

I'm in no way unhappy with my 2020 Thar, quite the opposite - I've been using it like a car and abusing it like I should a jeep do. But someday. Someday, I'll find a pristine that I can talk to...

Hey Phoenix, I am a regular visitor of your ownership thread and love the way you put up such detailed experience about your Thar, yes even I don’t like to call it a car hence my ownership thread title says “From Car to Thar”

Your observation is bang on, lot many people wanted to buy one such beauty in their lifetime but backed off due to the impracticality and shortcomings, but then there are few like us who love it the way it is. Mahindra has hit bull’s eye with the new Thar, but it eventually couldn’t retain the Jeep character. IIRC, the first camouflaged versions of Thar 2020 had the CRDe types design with little upgrades in the look. Somehow something has led to the makers coming up with the design that got materialized.

Anyhow, all that matters is how much satisfactory ownership experience you are having, be it the MM540/550 owners, Thar CRDe owners or the Thar 2020 owners.

We all love our beauties !!!

Cheers

[abhikb]

Sunday drive to Khambat beach:

After a gap of more than a month, stretched the legs on highway with the 3507, had 2 more Thars joining in the drive. I was accompanied by BHPians AnishD and Ritesh_7770 for this drive. We left post lunch from home and it took us about 2.5 hours to locate and reach the right spot.

The beach is just behind Sikotar Mata temple, there’s a narrow trail which leads to the beach, being a low tide situation, the water was far away, had a good beach hopping session.

With this trip the ODO has crossed 38k Kms.

[abhikb]

Road trip to Jawai:

Did a 900 Kms road trip to Jawai bandh recently, more details here to the Tlog link: https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/trave...rajasthan.html (3 days in Jawai and Bera | The less explored Jungle abode in Rajasthan)

Overall the Thar performed well and took us comfortably be it the Tarmac, off-road, trail or rocks. Got a FE of 12.5 Kmpl this time, it was majorly since me and my friend both took turns driving, with my sedate driving style I get around 14-15 Kmpl on the highways.

The ODO is now at 39,5xx Kms, the ABS sensor has gone kaput and is required to be replaced, expecting the same in a day or two, accordingly, will get the 40K Kms service done at the same time.

[abhikb]

40,000 KMS Update:

So our 3507 has crossed 40,000 Kms this week, had sent it for routine servicing to the ASS at Punjab Mahindra. This was a major service interval since, had to replace the Engine Oil, Diesel Filter, Air filter, Greasing of Hubs etc. The front ABS sensor had gone kaput and hence, had to replace the same also during this service.

The total cost of servicing came down to Rs. 12,124 including GST. The labour charges for service was relatively higher at Rs. 4248 which generally is around 2000 in the previous services.

Below is the details of No. of days taken to cover every 10k Kms:




Battery replacement:

Had taken family for a 2 day trip to Somnath in order to perform a ritual, it was a 940 Kms to and fro trip. On the second day had some spare time so decided to take my little one for a jungle safari in the morning at Sasan-gir. Ours was the 3rd visit to this place in last 5 years, however, since Ayona was yet to see a carnivorous upclose, it was necessary to plan this.

After the Safari, the Thar wont start and all the meters in the console started moving eratically, I called up the Service Advisor at Punjab Mahindra and shared the video to him. As per them, the battery is discharged and either needs a replacement or else the wiring had to be changed to check if the Alternator is powering while running. He immediately shared the contact details of the nearest Service center which was at Junagadh. We did a 'Dhakka Start" and the engine came to life, our hotel at Somnath was 60 Kms away, so drove there with the hope that the battery will get charged. But then as soon as I switched off and again tried to start it went dead. The alternator was working fine, got hold of a mechanic nearby who arranged for a battery mechanic. Upon inspection it was confirmed that the battery has gone kaput and needs replacement.

Spoke to Amaran distributor there in Somnath and purchased a new battery, dent to the pocket of Rs. 6000 including exchange of the old battery. My erstwhile Swift's battery had lasted for 4 years and this one surprisingly didnt even cross 3 years.

Any how, have a 3000 Kms road trip ahead in the end of this month. Hence, it was better to take up the necessary repairs.


Its good for another 10k run now

[abhikb]

Late post alert:

We did a 2800 Kms road trip from Ahmedabad to Goa via coastal route that took us through Konkan, ratnagiri, Ganpatiphule. While coming back we took the usual route via Belgaum, Pune, Mumbai.

Even Had the company of 4 Thar 2020 in the trip, this was for the first time I drove the 3507 for this long, it was 10 days trip, we went through all types of terrain be it the ghats, jungles, on road, off road and much more.

The ODO is at 45,216 Kms as on today and 1 months left to complete 3 years of owning the Thar.

Link to the travelogue :

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/trave...ml#post5333735 (The Land2Coast Drive- 5 Thars, 3 States, 2800 Kms)

[ph03n!x]

It's been about 20,000 KM from when you removed the insect guard from the front grill - how is the internals holding up, do bugs/ insects bother you much especially during long/ highway drives?