The Ultimate Safari Dicor 2.2VTT Reliability Poll

zenx · 14th February 2009, 00:08

Ok, have been trying to buy a used 2.2Dicor and have got sooooo much conflicting advice that I decided it needs more data support than anecdotal evidence. I have come across multiple instances of failures of sensors, ECUs etc which have left people stranded, yet I'm sure there are quite a few who have had a pleasant experience ownership experience with near zero issues. The lure of the beast is amazing, and I neither want to be caught out by its unreliability, not lose out on its charms on heresy.

Safari owners please, please vote based on your experience. Explaining the options:

No issues: bought car, serviced. Fill it/forget it approach
Minor niggles:We hear this a lot. Must not have left you stranded/calling in support from the nearest town, etc. I had the engine light come on once in the OHC (right after the warranty expired) and the sensor cost me 16k! But nothings left us stranded anywhere, ever.
Major Issues: Perhaps stranded for a sensor, perhaps had a close call because of a major failure that may/may not have needed immediate repairs. Includes major failures that happened much before their time - clutch plates, suspension, brakes, etc. Electricals - am ok with (i.e. not including sensors etc that can ground the car)
What a pain: Recurring major issues that TML was unable to resolve even after multiple trips. "Clearly" a problem cases, not "I think its not responding that well between 80-90" kinda stuff.

The numbers should help future buyers, I guess.

14th February 2009, 00:35

Hi Sameer- This would be invaluable to me as I am planning to buy one next month.Would be interested to know the current owners views on your poll.

Cheers

Rakesh

zenx · 14th February 2009, 00:38

Request : please vote ONLY if you own a Safari Dicor.

zenx · 14th February 2009, 08:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rocky77

Hi Sameer- This would be invaluable to me as I am planning to buy one next month.Would be interested to know the current owners views on your poll.

Cheers

Rakesh

Unfortunately, I need to take a decision today itself

3 votes so far, am hoping everyone will see it - despite it being a Saturday.
Mods - could you please rename this to "The Ultimate Safari Dicor 2.2VTT Reliability Poll" ?

jkdas · 14th February 2009, 09:33

Voted for minor; for me squeaks and bad A.S.S.
Had I been driving another other car like I do on my Safari, it would have had some major issues by now.

@ pha, the point is teh driver will be more confident that if had been in any other car and passengers still dont get to know what we just flew through.

Man and machine. Mine's bigger/better! :P Love TBHP.

phamilyman · 14th February 2009, 09:41

Quote:

Had I been driving another other car like I do on my Safari, it would have had some major issues by now.

... is so horribly cliched its not funny. Most safari owners (just taking your quote as an example) claim the same. However, while it may be driven rougher than a hatchback (I have done the same on my swift including doing inclines like Jalori 4up fully loaded, or the 30km of no road for parashar) - the correct measure is to compare whether in this (hypothetically unbelievably rough use) type of usage, would a Scorpio or a Tavera have crumbled.

I can give everyone the answer: NO!

There are enough sumos, taveras and scorpios which do the leh route happily.

Safari is awesome, but the quote in bold is more perception than reality!

zenx · 14th February 2009, 10:14

Oops - let not this thread go the same route please. No comparos, and surely no need for a major justification either ways

The attempt is to let the numbers will speak for themselves and not let subjectivity creep in. Of course its still possible with the interpretation of the issues - hence the definitions right upfront. Those, of course, are open to debate.

Bull_Twin · 14th February 2009, 10:48

Voted for Minor Niggles.
Its been driven around 3500 and had hose pipe blown issue, hope not to have major ones...

We are around 60-70 Safari Owners on Team-BHP.. Most of us seems to be happy with our purchase, The poll result should be 70 Minor niggles..

What's your minimum expectation, that will make you go for Safari?

zerocritical · 14th February 2009, 11:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by zenx

Unfortunately, I need to take a decision today itself

3 votes so far, am hoping everyone will see it - despite it being a Saturday.
Mods - could you please rename this to "The Ultimate Safari Dicor 2.2VTT Reliability Poll" ?

Valentine's gift HUH!!!!???

zenx · 14th February 2009, 12:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bull_Twin

We are around 60-70 Safari Owners on Team-BHP.. Most of us seems to be happy with our purchase, The poll result should be 70 Minor niggles..

What's your minimum expectation, that will make you go for Safari?

70 is a major sample size! Minor niggles are totally fine, especially given that TML has a really wide and apparently responsive service network, and its not that expensive to maintain stuff, even when not covered warranty.

The decision : hmmm- I think its slightly less rational, and getting close to being made

rrsteer · 14th February 2009, 14:56

For what its worth :

I have so far owned two tata Safaris. The first (90 bhp engine) which I drove for 3.5 Lac kms and sold off last year (a decision I am repenting) was as trouble free a car as I have come across. Though the AC did give me some trouble in between.

The second one is a 2.2 VTT which was bought in Dec last year and it has clocked 5200 kms so far. And so far, ( at the risk of casting my own evil eye on myself) its been a most satisfying ownership experience.

Actually, before I joined this forum - which I did after I got my new Safari - and admittedly read some Safari horror stories, I always thought that Safari was the most reliable vehicle in our country

. I used to travel on isolated godforsaken country roads at night thinking that the Safari can never blow up on me..and it never did. This is something I avoid purposedly nowadays.
I tell you, ignorance is truly bliss.

zenx · 14th February 2009, 16:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by rrsteer

For what its worth :

I have so far owned two tata Safaris. The first (90 bhp engine) which I drove for 3.5 Lac kms and sold off last year (a decision I am repenting) was as trouble free a car as I have come across. Though the AC did give me some trouble in between.
....

I tell you, ignorance is truly bliss.

3.5Lakh!!!!!!!!! Wow. Super wow.
I see your point about the ignorance bit - have had a couple of minor issues with the OHC (nothing that could get me stuck tho) but it did not occur to me to swap stories and reliability notes

Dragonov · 14th February 2009, 21:29

I voted for minor issues because in the past 50K kilometers my Dicor 3.0L has only come up with minor issues like power windows getting stuck and rattles here and there. Nothing major so far has crept up so far. Am not a sedate driver and my car had been doing close to 100 plus kilometers everyday in the past but never ever has it let me down. But yes one thing I can say to you is that the fit and finish/quality would not be upto the mark as compared to the Hyundai's and others in the market. So if you can live with the fact of visiting the TASS more than often than take the plunge - You would not regret it. The respect and ado this car generates is simply awesome and worth the small niggles in the bargain.

Strangerintown · 14th February 2009, 23:15

Voted for minor niggles. Have had some minor rattling issues and the standard blown AC compressor fuse. That has not re-occurred after it was changed to 30 A from 25 A.

JayD · 14th February 2009, 23:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by jkdas

Voted for minor; for me squeaks and bad A.S.S.
Had I been driving another other car like I do on my Safari, it would have had some major issues by now.

Damn!! And I thought it was due to the red carpet!!

14th February 2009, 00:08	#1
zenx Senior - BHPian Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Bangalore Posts: 1,164 Thanked: 162 Times View My Garage	The Ultimate Safari Dicor 2.2VTT Reliability Poll Ok, have been trying to buy a used 2.2Dicor and have got sooooo much conflicting advice that I decided it needs more data support than anecdotal evidence. I have come across multiple instances of failures of sensors, ECUs etc which have left people stranded, yet I'm sure there are quite a few who have had a pleasant experience ownership experience with near zero issues. The lure of the beast is amazing, and I neither want to be caught out by its unreliability, not lose out on its charms on heresy. Safari owners please, please vote based on your experience. Explaining the options: No issues: bought car, serviced. Fill it/forget it approach Minor niggles:We hear this a lot. Must not have left you stranded/calling in support from the nearest town, etc. I had the engine light come on once in the OHC (right after the warranty expired) and the sensor cost me 16k! But nothings left us stranded anywhere, ever. Major Issues: Perhaps stranded for a sensor, perhaps had a close call because of a major failure that may/may not have needed immediate repairs. Includes major failures that happened much before their time - clutch plates, suspension, brakes, etc. Electricals - am ok with (i.e. not including sensors etc that can ground the car) What a pain: Recurring major issues that TML was unable to resolve even after multiple trips. "Clearly" a problem cases, not "I think its not responding that well between 80-90" kinda stuff. The numbers should help future buyers, I guess. Last edited by zenx : 14th February 2009 at 00:12.
	() Thanks

14th February 2009, 00:35	#2
Rocky77 Posts: n/a	Hi Sameer- This would be invaluable to me as I am planning to buy one next month.Would be interested to know the current owners views on your poll. Cheers Rakesh
	() Thanks

14th February 2009, 00:38	#3
zenx Senior - BHPian Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Bangalore Posts: 1,164 Thanked: 162 Times View My Garage	Request : please vote ONLY if you own a Safari Dicor.
	() Thanks

14th February 2009, 09:33	#5
jkdas Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Thiruvananthapu Posts: 9,687 Thanked: 1,497 Times View My Garage	Voted for minor; for me squeaks and bad A.S.S. Had I been driving another other car like I do on my Safari, it would have had some major issues by now. @ pha, the point is teh driver will be more confident that if had been in any other car and passengers still dont get to know what we just flew through. Man and machine. Mine's bigger/better! :P Love TBHP. Last edited by jkdas : 14th February 2009 at 09:47.
	() Thanks

14th February 2009, 10:14	#7
zenx Senior - BHPian Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Bangalore Posts: 1,164 Thanked: 162 Times View My Garage	Oops - let not this thread go the same route please. No comparos, and surely no need for a major justification either ways The attempt is to let the numbers will speak for themselves and not let subjectivity creep in. Of course its still possible with the interpretation of the issues - hence the definitions right upfront. Those, of course, are open to debate.
	() Thanks

View Poll Results: How's your Dicor 2.2VTT ownership been (see 1st post for explanation)
No Issues	25	26.32%
Minor Niggles	50	52.63%
Major Issues	10	10.53%
What a pain	10	10.53%
Voters: 95. You may not vote on this poll

14th February 2009, 10:48	#8
Bull_Twin BHPian Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Delhi Posts: 26 Thanked: 4 Times	Voted for Minor Niggles. Its been driven around 3500 and had hose pipe blown issue, hope not to have major ones... We are around 60-70 Safari Owners on Team-BHP.. Most of us seems to be happy with our purchase, The poll result should be 70 Minor niggles.. What's your minimum expectation, that will make you go for Safari?
	() Thanks

14th February 2009, 14:56	#11
rrsteer Senior - BHPian Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: 144022 Posts: 1,263 Thanked: 3,448 Times	For what its worth : I have so far owned two tata Safaris. The first (90 bhp engine) which I drove for 3.5 Lac kms and sold off last year (a decision I am repenting) was as trouble free a car as I have come across. Though the AC did give me some trouble in between. The second one is a 2.2 VTT which was bought in Dec last year and it has clocked 5200 kms so far. And so far, ( at the risk of casting my own evil eye on myself) its been a most satisfying ownership experience. Actually, before I joined this forum - which I did after I got my new Safari - and admittedly read some Safari horror stories, I always thought that Safari was the most reliable vehicle in our country . I used to travel on isolated godforsaken country roads at night thinking that the Safari can never blow up on me..and it never did. This is something I avoid purposedly nowadays. I tell you, ignorance is truly bliss.
	(1) Thanks

14th February 2009, 21:29	#13
Dragonov BHPian Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Gurgaon Posts: 205 Thanked: 31 Times	I voted for minor issues because in the past 50K kilometers my Dicor 3.0L has only come up with minor issues like power windows getting stuck and rattles here and there. Nothing major so far has crept up so far. Am not a sedate driver and my car had been doing close to 100 plus kilometers everyday in the past but never ever has it let me down. But yes one thing I can say to you is that the fit and finish/quality would not be upto the mark as compared to the Hyundai's and others in the market. So if you can live with the fact of visiting the TASS more than often than take the plunge - You would not regret it. The respect and ado this car generates is simply awesome and worth the small niggles in the bargain.
	() Thanks

14th February 2009, 23:15	#14
Strangerintown BHPian Join Date: May 2006 Location: Mumbai Posts: 241 Thanked: 190 Times	Voted for minor niggles. Have had some minor rattling issues and the standard blown AC compressor fuse. That has not re-occurred after it was changed to 30 A from 25 A.
	() Thanks