[v&v]

Went for a suspension checkup, Tie rod needed replacement. Overall suspension is good for another 30K.

Tie Rod - RH/LH Rs 860.44/pc
Labour : Rs 550/-

Total Bill : 2543/-


Got the cladding painted. It now all new look. Couple of snaps

[ObsessedByFIAT]

Originally Posted by v&v

Got the cladding painted. It now all new look. Couple of snaps

Hi! Nice and detailed review!

One question: how much did it cost you to get the cladding painted? Did the painter also touch up areas on the body surface (if at all there were any scratches etc)?

Wish you many more happy miles ahead!

Cheers!

[harishnayak]

The paint job looks neat to me. I also love the fact that you've removed the mud flaps, does that gather more mud?

I'm getting my truck in a couple of days and am really nervous about getting the right alloys and tyres, do you suggest 15 inches?

[v&v]

Originally Posted by ObsessedByFIAT

Hi! Nice and detailed review!

One question: how much did it cost you to get the cladding painted? Did the painter also touch up areas on the body surface (if at all there were any scratches etc)?

Cheers!

Thanks. Cladding painting costed me 10k. There was no touching required as there were no major scratches.

Originally Posted by harishnayak

The paint job looks neat to me. I also love the fact that you've removed the mud flaps, does that gather more mud?

I'm getting my truck in a couple of days and am really nervous about getting the right alloys and tyres, do you suggest 15 inches?

Thanks harish. In fact i never used the mud flaps even i too didn't like it.
Why nervous ? Also why 15 incher, when safari comes with 16 incher.

Try to get Bridgestone or Apollo Hwakz they both are good. Also Yoko Geo AT are also good. Are you planning to upsize ? As for alloys i have been using Neo. No problems yet.

[harishnayak]

Originally Posted by v&v

Thanks. Cladding painting costed me 10k. There was no touching required as there were no major scratches.




Thanks harish. In fact i never used the mud flaps even i too didn't like it.
Why nervous ? Also why 15 incher, when safari comes with 16 incher.

Try to get Bridgestone or Apollo Hwakz they both are good. Also Yoko Geo AT are also good. Are you planning to upsize ? As for alloys i have been using Neo. No problems yet.

Yes i agree , none of my current cars have a mud flap and i think the vehicles look good with alloys and no mud flaps. By Nervous i meant that i've still not zeroed in on the design of the alloys and the right tyres and i dont want to clock kms and get a hit on the exchange value of the stock tyres.

I'm not planning a huge upsize but defintely little bigger than the stock ones. I checked out Maxxis 15 inchers and they looked awesome to me ( with the dirt bike kind of treads ) however later i got to know that there's lot of duplicacy in Maxxis and also that they dont last for more than 25 - 30 k kms.

I'm defintely looking for the right combination of the tyre and the alloy. How about New Endeavours alloys? Any idea if they would be available in the market or the ones in gaurav gills XUV 500 used in DS'12?

[v&v]

Got the 60K (Last free service) done at 54100 kms.

There no major issues with the beast. Went for routine service with filter change both oil and fuel + engine oil. There is a slight sound from steering column on very rough road, which SA say lets keep in observation, if required will be changed in EW. Also the stuff was not in stock.

Total bill was for 4698/-
There was some promotion going on - summer checkup cam, so i got a discount of Rs 459 on parts and Rs 100 on Labour.

[v&v]

First long drive after the new Michelin Latitude Cross tyres. Feedback after 7000 odd kms of driving which includes our recent trip to Mashobra, Himachal.

1. Very silent
2. Very Gripy - squeaking sound of tyre on hairpin bends, steep turn has reduced a lot.
3. Braking - Braking distance & skidding has reduced.
4. Decent grip on Gravel road.

Ride comfort didn't find any difference from Bridgestone.

Couple of pics from our recent trip

[raghunandanj]

Thanks so much for this useful information ! I have a Safari VTT 2.2 DICOR since May 2011, and many of my questions were answered in this thread. Thank you !

However, I have some questions ( excuse me if they're silly ), which I thought I should bring up on this thread. Any comments on these would be helpful.

1. How frequently do we need to check the wheel alignment and balancing for this beast ? Apparently, I have begun to notice oscillatiions and unsettled ride qualiy on irregular road humps and bad roads. Not sure if this is normal.

2. I feel a drag on washboarded roads, though the tyres are new. I have finished 12,000 km in my new Safari, so was wondering if it is in the way I drive.

Anyone else with similar symptoms ?

[v&v]

Thanks Raghu.

As for alignment I check it once in every 2k kms and before a long drive.

Balancing once in 5k kms along with tyre rotation.

Point 2 can't comment as never faced it.

[v&v]

Got the Center pin bush changed. Overall suspension is healthy.
I was getting "Khat" sound on pot holes at lower speed. I was diagnosed to worn-out center pin bush. After fixing the same, there is still slight sound existed.

Later it was diagnosed to Steering column issue and make is Rane. Its not in stock. May be week or so. Was told will be done under EW.

Charges for Center pin bush change

1. Bush @ 204
2. Lathe work : Rs 600/-
3. Labour charges for bush change - 375

[v&v]

Got the Steering Column changed on 14th. Was done under EW.
Time taken : half day. Ideally 4 to 5 hrs required.
Charges : Nil
Problem : Small "Khat" (Random) sound at slow speeds on bad patches of road.

[v&v]

Update @ 60000/- kms
Of late my usage of safari for city drive have reduced a lot. Now it is more used for our outstations trips only.

No major problems. An issue which TASS is unable to identify or rectify is the power to ECM relay some times (All orange lights) glows after 5-10 seconds of switching on the ignition. All red light glow immediately. ECM relay issue ruled out as this issue remains even with new relay. Its very erratic and does not happen always.

Enjoying the trouble free ride. Touch wood.


Trips
----

Did a Agra - Bharatpur trip and Uttrakhand trip to Ranikhet, Almora, Jageshwar and Jim Corbett.

Enjoy some pics...

[jkdas]

Originally Posted by v&v

Got the Steering Column changed on 14th. Was done under EW.
Time taken : half day. Ideally 4 to 5 hrs required.
Charges : Nil
Problem : Small "Khat" (Random) sound at slow speeds on bad patches of road.

Attachment 970852

How much does this cost? Wont they have printed the cost in the bill?

[v&v]

@JK if i remember correctly the full column is for around 40k. I didnt pick the bill as the vehicle as delivered late around 8 pm as i needed the vehicle urgently next day. They issued the gate pass as this was done under EW. I will get a copy when i visit next time.

[v&v]

Update at 48 months & 63000/- kms. EW has expired. No major trouble reported. Suspension and Clutch still healthy.

My beast went for the first paid service and the last checkup before expiry of EW.

1. Orange lights - delayed glow as resolve. It was diagnosed dust and a full cleaning cleared the issue.

2. Turbo oil return tube has developed a minor leakage. Replaced under paid. As it not covered in EW

3. Indicator switch - Faulty - Does not resets. Combi switch replaced under EW - Rs 1800 inc of taxes.

Hub Greasing @ Rs 750/-
Paid Service @ 750/-

Total bill : 7604/-
Bill for Turbo tube replacement : 990/-

Trips -
Went for a Delhi - Bhuj - Kutch - Mumbai - Delhi trip.

Pics of Chari Dhund - (Banni Grassland), Near India Bridge.