[gpa]

Originally Posted by rrsteer

As a solution, the damn idiot went ahead and changed the whole rubber beading of both the front doors. I was like what the ****, and he merrily said it was under warranty.

I'm now starting to wonder if this is common practice at T.A.S.S A few months ago, a friend of mine complained that his Indica was treated the same way with the SA changing the entire door beading on both doors when he complained of wind noise when cruising on the highway.

The worst part is that the passenger side door started leaking once the rains set in here in Bangalore a few weeks back

Else, a nice report rrsteer.

Cheers,
gpa

[rrsteer]

Here is another update on my my Safari 2.2 after 2.5 months and after another 6000 kms done and dusted.

The SUV has now done about 22,000 kms in my 8 months of ownership.

So far there are no issues whatsoever. And to cap that the cabin is devoid of any squeaks or rattles. Though some minor issues relating to build quality surfaced. For instance the Safari emblem at the back fell, there is a small plastic part in the rear bumper which has now fallen twice, and once the rear door shocker fiddled with the bumper and had to be removed. True to Tata's famed warranty service, it was replaced under warranty.

Due to my high mileage the upkeep costs of the vehicle can be high. Its been hardly few months and I had to shell out Rs 5k again. Though these 5k were spent voluntarily and with disregard of the maintenance schedule advised by the company.

Here are the details

Oil Filter : Rs 161.0
Fuel Filter : Rs 2163.0 (which I undertake every 10K kms)
Oil HP Milcy : Rs1700.0 (7.5ltrs) (which I undertake every 7K kms)
Coolant : 120 (1ltr)
Total Including Extras - Rs 5114

Plus tyre rotation done from outside for about 100 bucks. (undertaken every 7k kms)

Soon after getting the oil change and fuel filter changed from a TASC, I went to the local authorized dealer for the retro fitments. I had got no communication from the dealer and went on my own accord after reading about it in Team - BHP

A few tata engineers from Pune were there in the premises and without much ado they checked the timing belt. According to them everything was OK with my car and so it required no major replacements.

Here are a lists of activities performed under retrofitments:

1) Replaced the big black plastic cover which protects the timing belts etc
2) Added an ECU dust cover
3) ECU reflashed
4) Some adjustments done to both front doors so as to make the power window function smoother

I personally feel the engine has now become smoother after the software upgrade.

So far the ownership experience has been first rate. A superb SUV, which delivers on most - in fact all my expectations.

PS : will upload some pics later today.

[jkdas]

Originally Posted by rrsteer

Here is another update on my my Safari 2.2 after 2.5 months and after another 6000 kms done and dusted.

The SUV has now done about 22,000 kms in my 8 months of ownership.


Here are a lists of activities performed under retrofitments:

1) Replaced the big black plastic cover which protects the timing belts etc
2) Added an ECU dust cover
3) ECU reflashed
4) Some adjustments done to both front doors so as to make the power window function smoother

I personally feel the engine has now become smoother after the software upgrade.

So far the ownership experience has been first rate. A superb SUV, which delivers on most - in fact all my expectations.

PS : will upload some pics later today.

Great.

Yet to do the ECU stuff. Waiting for them to call.

[rrsteer]

Originally Posted by jkdas

Great.

Yet to do the ECU stuff. Waiting for them to call.

jkdas, chances are they wont call!

[rrsteer]

Here are a few pics from my side.

1st Pic shows the retrofitted timing belt cover. (the black cover just below the 2.2 engine cover in the photo)
2nd pic shows the ecu cover
3rd pic shows the crack in the bumper caused due to misaligned rear door shocker, which is removed in the pic
4th pic was taken during an outdoor stint, while the 5th pic is of a souvenir from the same trip

[suman]

Nice update mate & I like that 4th pic

at your signature!

[rrsteer]

The Tata Safari... So how is the one bought by me holding up after 10 months of ownership and after having devoured 29000 kms?

I think I am one of the guys who got associated with the correct half side of the coin when TML QA tossed it. My vehicle has been absolutely trouble free. Touchwood.
And it feels quite weird to start my post, with the statement, that I did.

Actually, it has been so good that for me it has totally overshadowed the other car - The Scorpio.

But...but, I think the car is aging fast. My desire is to keep this safari with me for as long as....oh and still longer. But will the build quality hold up?
Sample the pictures below:

1) The plastic piece below the number plate has fallen off thrice now
2) The plastic piece below the tail light has fallen off twice, and now i have screwed it inside out
3) The plastic piece above the left hand side rear tyre has fallen off
4) The ash tray is now a separate piece from the dashboard
5) Handbrake rubber cover got torn sometime
6) The silver paint of the dashboard is peeling off from the edges.

But I hope the core of the vehicle vehicle is not as flimsy.

@ Mods please change the thread title to Tata Safari 2.2 LX - 29,0000 Kms Update

[gowda79]

Steer, these are replaced under warranty get it replaced.

[rrsteer]

The SUV is now on the verge of crossing 36000kms. It was on the 25th of December 2008 that I bought it, so that’s quite a running in a year. In this one year I have taken the car to the jungles of Kumaon, the high mountain passes of the Pir Panjal and on various personal as well as business trips over the plains of north India. The Safari has been a worthy companion throughout. Infact, it has acquired respect from me. Ex: On the very recent trip to Jalori Pass (the road to which is much more challenging than to Rohtang pass) from Jalandhar & back, the car hauled six full size adults very comfortably amid adverse weather and road conditions. It also returned an eye popping average of 11.5kmpl! This, with a payload of over 500kgs and some continuous mountain driving for 2 days and with the car heater used luxuriously.

Overall, in its first year of ownership, I have spent Rs 45,500 on the vehicle in the form of servicing, maintenance and installing accessories. Currently, the overall average cost per km, excluding the fuel cost but including every other penny spent on the Safari has worked out to be about Rs 1.27/km. This is slightly on the higher side because of my insistence on shorter engine oil changing intervals, regular tyre rotation and wheel balancing. The car has not only been used extensively on the road but true to the word ‘utility’ included in the acronym SUV, it has been used to ferry all kinds of cargo. As a result of which I was forced to change the seat covers twice within a year and they alone have contributed 7000 bucks to the above cost head.

The servicing and maintenance has been strictly routine stuff with no aberrations. No parts changed, no parts fallen and no parts stopped working. Touch Wood! I hope this carries on and I may never require to open that warranty card. Given the terrain this vehicle has tread; the absence of regular little irritating squeaks and squeals has also been the highlight of my ownership. And this is in stark contrast to almost every other Safari ownership story that I have read or heard. Now that its cold, there are some irregular pesky noises that I hear when I start the car, but they go away as the vehicle becomes nice & warm[FONT=Wingdings][/FONT]. Here I overlook some of the external body work of the plastic kind that fell off from the car. Because they were easily fixed and are not worth much attention.

I have not been able to maintain a regular record of the fuel consumed, but have always been very keen to check the ‘average’ returned by the car at every fuel pit stop. So far, I don’t remember having recorded a figure of less than 11kmpl at anytime. No doubt, the blessings of not living in a Metro but a very good performance nonetheless.

There is another thing of the Safari that impresses me. The air circulation of the AC system. It is very effective. If I close both the front driver side blowers, the driver gets almost isolated to the chilling effect of the AC.

Also would like to put in a mention about the stock Bridgestone HTs. They do not help in the handling of the car. After having done a lot of driving on the hills, I have found them wanted in terms of the grip levels they provide. But amazingly the tires are yet to get punctured. Keeping in mind the terrain, I have driven them on that’s pretty good going.

[FONT=&quot]In the end, the purpose of this post was not to wax eloquence about the car I have. There are some serious deficiencies in the product as a whole. Aspects such as poor braking, lot of play in steering, lack of confidence at high speeds, the vehicle wallowing like a boat etc are areas which demand serious attention from the manufacturer. But these are drawbacks that I was well aware of before I purchased the car, and am very careful about while I am in the car. If this ownership thread has so far projected the Tata Safari as a great car, it is in the sense that my Safari has so far outperformed on the evaluation criteria that I may have set for it.

Mods: Request you to please change the name of the thread to Tata Safari 1 year - 36000 Kms update
[/FONT]

[harendra]

It is a great long term report for the Safari and looks like you have surely used it s a true SUV. Usually owners would want to post when they have issues but this is one of those reports which would make one to start thinking about SAFARI.
I wish to see postings of those other Safari owners(Long term, short Term) who have had no issues with their Safari, this would definitely help prospective buyers like myself.

[rrsteer]

Took my SUV for the 45K service. Apart from regular service, there was this issue of diesel leaking from the sedimenter and the car pulling towards the left. The pulling towards left was more pronounced at slow speeds than at high speeds.

Things done at the ASS:

1) Fuel filter change for Rs 1815
2) Transmission oil for Rs 362
3) Gear oil for Rs 1450
4) Sedimenter assembly for Rs 3954

Total service amount came to Rs 9242, which included Rs 600 for labor.

The rings of the sedimenter assembly had worn away. I think the culprit here was me. In my enthusiasm to drain the water and lock it, I locked it too tightly. And recently when I tried to drain out water again, it wont open and I tried different tricks to open it, and in the process may have damaged the assembly. No warranty was provided for part change; the logic given that the rings were damaged due to misuse.

The vehicle pulling to the left is quite a minor really and the serviceman advised me not to fiddle with it. He said there was a probability that the setup may worsen if it was tampered with. The mechanic was previously working with Hyundai dealership and was all along cribbing about tata cars and how some times problems with Tata cars remain unsolved.

I really do want to correct this minor pulling to the left issue too. What could be the different reasons causing this? I'll look at all the different possibilities one by one.

Overall the safari continues to get an A rating from me

Mods: Please change the title to : Tata Safari 45K Kms Long Term Report.

[amitk26]

Originally Posted by rrsteer

T

The vehicle pulling to the left is quite a minor really and the serviceman advised me not to fiddle with it. He said there was a probability that the setup may worsen if it was tampered with. The mechanic was previously working with Hyundai dealership and was all along cribbing about tata cars and how some times problems with Tata cars remain unsolved.

I really do want to correct this minor pulling to the left issue too. What could be the different reasons causing this? I'll look at all the different possibilities one by one.

Overall the safari continues to get an A rating from me

Congratulations you are driving the vehicle the way it is meant to be driven.
For pulling to the left problem check alignment at T.A.S.S to start with the alignment values for 2.2 VTT are different then previous Safaris and it is best done at T.A.S.S only as caster and camber for safari is fixed and it needs shim adjustment. Only bigger T.A.S.S have wheel alignment facility and the alignment guys are different then regular mechanics so he might be reluctant to do it.

[rrsteer]

Originally Posted by amitk26

Congratulations you are driving the vehicle the way it is meant to be driven.
For pulling to the left problem check alignment at T.A.S.S to start with the alignment values for 2.2 VTT are different then previous Safaris and it is best done at T.A.S.S only as caster and camber for safari is fixed and it needs shim adjustment. Only bigger T.A.S.S have wheel alignment facility and the alignment guys are different then regular mechanics so he might be reluctant to do it.

I remembered reading one of your quotes in the 2.2 Problem thread regarding checking the alignment of the safari at a TASS only. That was one of the reasons also why I abstained from an alignment check yesterday. The workshop I went to is a TASC. I was not too confident about their alignment set up.

[jaysmokesleaves]

A nick in time saves nine.
The pull will eventually result in unever tire wear. Best to get it solved. I had this problem of right pull. It took them 3 days and 2 visits to solve it, but i insisted they do it. Even I was told not to fiddle... and its"ok" and they tried their best to outconvince me about how Tata cars are, especially badmouthing Indicas. Sorry guys, i dont bite the bait!! Its not 'ok'.!! Fixx the damn thing. 'OK' is not acceptable. Perfect is!
In my case, they had to adjust shims and re- ealign the tires after swapping them.

[rrsteer]

Between a span of ten days I did 2 Jalandhar - Delhi and back trips in the Safari.

The first trip in which I always attempted to keep the SUV in 100kmph+ speeds I achieved an average of 13kmpl (12.92 to be precise) for a tankful. This included 150 kms of rush hour driving in Delhi and Gurgaon roads and the AC always at full speed

The second trip in which I consciously attempted to keep the vehicle speed in the range of 80kmph - 90 kmph, and again with the ac always on I got a superlative 15.2 kmpl. Also this time I started the return leg of the journey from Gurgaon at 3.30 AM in the morning. So was able to maintain constant speeds for longer durations.

The total mileage done is 49000 kms+ and the SUV is now in its 18th month of ownership.