[HappyWheels]

Friends, fellow, countrymen: I have got my Safari GX 4x4 Mineral Red delivered last evening (8-8-9) from Concord Motors, Dairy Circle.

Here is the man and the machine:


(My booking and pre-delivery experience are at http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/test-d...g-waiting.html)

The banking experience:
Morning at 9am saw me waiting at the Deepanjali Nagar Shell petrol pump for Dev. Both of us head down to SBI branch to get the loan check cleared.

Thanks to Hari (LukeSkyWalker) for giving me this idea, else I would have waited for the person from Concord to do this, which would have not worked at all.

As expected, we both are the 6&7 person in the branch (not taking the cleaning people into account). The only officer there told us that loan section starts at 10.30 and it was just 9.30. Sweet.

After a quick bite, we are back in the bank and waiting in front of the Chief Managers' cubicle. He comes in at ~10am and after settling down, beckons us. I mention the need and he immediatly goes and gets my file. Surprising fact was that he recollected my name and got the file!

He passes on the documents for the check generation and asks us to wait. By this time the bank gets taking in more crowd and our Chief is off to do his non-desk works. People queue build up rather quicklly at his desk.

He is back in 30 minutes with my check! Yahoooo.... Get it and take a couple of copies and off to the showroom. At this point I get a call from Concord saying that their agent has started for the Bank and will updated me as soon as he gets the check. Evil in me stops me from telling him not to do so!!! (wicked wicked grin!)

The showroom:
We both silently head to the showroom and go down to the vehicle parked bay. All accessories done and full of dust, just as we wanted. Give the sales person a call and say that we need the vehicle readied and we have the check.

A person comes down to pick the vehicle for washing and both of us hop in.

Washing of the vehicle:


While we sit inside and chat:


We then meet the sales person (the team lead) and then proceed to hand over the bank check and required document. (For those interested (FTI): We got the check for the loan amount and a letter informing Concord that the loan amount is approved and that they need to hypothecate the vehicle to the banks name and provide the relevant documents and also the Form-20 for registration purpose)

We then head back to have a look at the cleaning and preparations.

The vehicle being readied:


The Happy with his wheels:


The interiors with the seat covers:




The final set of checking being done:


The vehicle all ready and set to be moved to the delivery bay:


The vehicle all ready to be handed over.


The pooja being done:


After effect of the pooja:


A big thanks to Srinivas - the person who took over my case and helped in a proper closure. Thanks Srinivas!


He explained the working, documents, et la. Audio unit warranty missing, which will be handed over on Monday, when I take the vehicle for registration. Rest all a-ok! (And yes, feedback form to be handed over only on Monday).

So, all done, with the rains falling in regular intervals, I drove off to the tire shop.

[dadu]

Congratulations again, let the reclaiming begin....

[breezydrive]

Congratulations, finally the car is with you. Best choice of colour.

[mnhegde]

@ Happy wheels: Congratulations Friend. The king looks fantastic. Good choice of color (Gives a luxury feel). Nice pics. Keep updating the thread (initial reports and ownership experience).

Have fun ,Drive safe.

[Jaggu]

Congratz!! She looks good and enjoy the 4x4 experience.

Cheers
Jaggu

[HappyWheels]

The first pit stop was for the 10 liters of diesel (man, looking at the cost I was ).



We reach the tire shop and have a mini-Safari meet! Luke, Gowda and Pavan are there. (PS: Pavan had better shots of this meet!)



The new tires; being filled with nitrogen.


The RedBull with the new tires:




Did the pooja (another round with the family) at Rajarajeshwari Temple today morning.


The crushing of the lemon:


And finally, all done, at home, ready to start doing what it is meant to.

[greenhorn]

looks like the stock HU is the alpine 9870 series
may i suggest an ICE upgrade ?
the HU and the stock comps are fine. you'll need a sub though, else the bass will feel woefully inadequate

cheap 2 ch amp + sub (~10K onwards)

[joy_swift]

Great snaps man.

The color is absolutely smashing,enjoy the drive

[ravibhat]

Very nice, Congrats Suresh again. Have a great time. Let journey begin with style

Ravi.

[HappyWheels]

Closing statements (of the whole experience):

Looking back at the whole lot of circus that has happened, I am, in a way, glad it happened the way it did.

Reasons:
1. I met a bunch of wonderful people, whom I would have never met if not for these issues. They came down to help, stayed with me for very long tiring hours, gave me tips which really helped in moving things faster and also for being there whenever I wanted them.

Never for a moment did I feel very sorry or frustrated at any point, since, I knew what the next steps should be taken and what to expect.

Thank you guys, thanks to each and every one of you.

Dev, a special thanks to you, for all the time and energy that you spend, including those spend by trying to get this seriously dumb SUV buyer up-to-speed (of what little I manager to understand in those crash courses) on all those little essential things!

2. I know that I got a fresh stock and that one which I was able to track from the production line to the stock yard!

Check this out:


Manufactured on 26th & QC on 27th! Got on a truck on 28th and landed here on 5th. In my hand on 8th. I couldn't be happier!

3. The experience as such! My previous car buying experience was like this: TD one time - Loan papers signed with ICICI at the comfort of my house - Vehicle taken while returning back from office. Finish. Nothing else.

But for this, from the time I started the TD, the negotiations, the bank loan, et la, all was using information posted here. Gave me so much information, which in a way, sometimes, I felt, was the reason I was so picky! Heck, with such a lot of money involved, I should be!!!

The experience in the bank, SBI, was the most surprising - expected lot of babu-attitude, but met none! It might be because the Chief Manager was the person who did my processing that I did not face an issue, maybe, I am not sure. He had a smiling face even though he was being stretched from all end! (2 hours of sitting at his desk made me aware of this!!!)

And finally the one thing that really counts - family opinion:

Daughter said it is a nice vehicle and established herself in the front! Wifey is more than happy since there are lot of space that they both do not end up fighting for space! And the road presence and the way even BMTC buses give way is a sight to behold! (I am loving it!!!)

So, happy family, happy me - money well spend!

And oh yes, before I forget, for those looking for the niggles / complaints:
1. There is a clip-on missing on the driver seat; need to get them on Monday. (their fault)
2. There is grease on the interiors on the top, near the handle; need to get them cleaned. (their fault)
3. The sandal that was applied by the poojari was cleaned, but not before it caused a slight yellow stain on the dash and front bumpers. I shouldn't have waited for it to dry up! (My fault).

So, that is it gentle men and gentle ladies.

I am set to reclaim and time will tell how successful I was.

(PS: Wanted to put the 4x4 to test in today recce, but yesterdays late night and the threat by the family to disown me, not the Safari though(!), made me re-think.)

So, until next time, thank you all for the support, advice and being there.

Regards,
HappyWheels with a RedBull!
(Background song: I believe I can fly... by R.Kelly)

[vijaythacker]

Happy Happy wheels, congratulations once again.Finally the D day arrived and your redbull as to say is at home.Through your experience shared here not only you but quite few people get to know small informative details and the paitence showed by you paid well worth with freshly baked from oven delivery.
Reclaim your life and keep updating this thread!

[mjothi]

Congrats and have miles of happy driving.

[jaysmokesleaves]

Hey congrats. Nice colour, nice pics too and a 4x4 to top it all.
Hope you enjoy your ride to the fullest. Very good looking Safari.
Observation: Noticed that the heater indicator is past the half mark. I think it is supposed to stay within the half mark and not go beyond. Or maybe the engine is too new. Im 100% sure it was not the same with my engine at the time of delivery.

Cheers,
J

[HappyWheels]

@dadu: Yup, plans set for coming and next weekend. And will progress as the days pass!

@BreezyDrive: Thanks! Choice of color is my daughters'. And she is absolutely sure that her choice is the best!!!

@MNHegde: Thank you. The feel and ride quality is definitely luxurious.

@Jaggu: The 4x4 experience - missed it today. But have a date with Mr.Khan himself. Hope he is in town tomorrow.

(SOS: Calling all Khan's, calling all Khan's!)

@GreenHorn: Thanks for the idea; might just ploke in a amp + sub.

@Joy_Swift: Thanks you sir! Yes, a very lively color.

@RaviBhat: The good times are just begining.

@Vijay: Absolutely true. The wait was definitely worth it.

@MJothi: Thanks. You may now cancel those orders for those posters!

@JSL: Thank you! Yes, noticed that too. But, as you had mentioned, this is attributed to the new engine. I will go by that and hopefully, once I put in another 100kms, it should not cross the mid-mark. But, as long as it does not cross beyond what it is now, I will not be alarmed; will just attribute it to the calibration error! (... and blame the TATA QC! LOL)

Apart from all this, seems like the poojari is also a fun loving person (just like the wonderful MOD who edited my previous threads title by adding a few more "waiting..."); look at this, that person added a smiley!!!

[akroy]

Congrats Happywheels, You will be indeed Happy now !!
WHen will the mile crunching begin

Abhi