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-   -   Tata Safari Storme : Official Review (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/official-new-car-reviews/129728-tata-safari-storme-official-review-125.html)

Very true indeed. Best to take the effort and call / visit the nearest dealer. I had a good experience last weekend at Concorde Pune. Was given a VX Explorer TD without any trouble when I had been there to service my Vista.

Here is a quick note about the visit -
The showroom is refreshed & feels good. Executives attend customers instantly. I was interested in ARIA Pleasure & Storme. And ARIA went out instantly. At 6'3", I can not find a comfortable seating position in the ARIA! It was a big disappointment given it is my favourite vehicle. No matter where I position the steering, seat, my knees and legs push against the dash-board. And its practically impossible to reach the brake peddle properly.

So on to the Storme and viola! It took less than 2 seconds to find the best seating position ever. The experience was wonderful. The beast turns in almost the same space as my vista! Rest all is already discussed a zillion times so I won't repeat. Its the best ride available. When I upgrade - it will be the Storme. Period.

In the showroom - there was no proper broucher available though. Only a comparison sheet against the XUV500 - which unfortunately made the XUV look much better on paper & another one with Explorer edition details. But not a single broucher with variants & specifications of the Storme itself.

Here is a tip to TML from a loyalist -
1. Most of the customers today, compare the comfort and infotainment features BEFORE comparing body on frame (storme) against monocoque (XUV) or the dual wishbone (Storme) against McPherson (XUV). With hundred thousand rupees more, the XUV definitely offers more gizmos which in market dynamics do justify the price difference.
2. If the Storme doesn't have steering mounted phone/audio controls & proper 2DIN system with MID, to keep it below the ARIA - here is a heads-up to the responsible department - a 5lakh VISTA TDI LX has these. It is quite a crime that a 1.3 million SUV doesn't. How do I decide to "upgrade" to an SUV which doesn't have the features of my hatchback?
3. I'd rather have a 1DIN system than the explorer edition "Afterthought 2DIN". This system definitely renders the cup holders useless & gets irritatingly close to the gear lever in 1-3-5.

Behram Sir, can I please ask for your help in the above problem. Also could you please help me in getting fog lamps fixed on my Lx with(preferably) or without the pull type rotary switch. as Tass is telling me it will void warranty and amc terms. :Shockked:

Regards

Dear Reinhard - thanks for your comments. We know it, so it feels nice when you reinforce it. Your comment 4 is well taken and is already taken up.

Dear Stormerider - Fog lamps are available as approved accessories. They come with a complete harness & switch. You can use this. Please PM me your contact details & dealer details who told you this. Also, please let me know, is this the cross pin behind the transmission?

Best regards,

Behram Dhabhar

This is nice Sir. Guess TATA is striving really hard to change perceptions and bring out more value from their cars - Appreciate it.

Can I suggest these as well please?

1. A better under thigh support for the front seats?

2. I had read & felt that it's kind of difficult to get into the driver's seat in Storme while Dicor didn't have this issue (I had TDed both back to back). While this may have more to attribute to the physique of people (I presume and I am 6"2'), you might want to check whether this is an actual issue and could be solved (along with a better seat)?

3. Also the shoes rubbing under the console while moving leg after a gear change / clutch release. This again was blamed on the physique / technique of driving an SUV (had the same problem in Dicor as well, but NOT in couple of other SUVs I had driven). While I tend to go with those feedback, it would be NICE if this is also eliminated. These things can actually frown a potential customer is what my understanding is.


And more importantly, I hope you have had opportunity to interact with Karl Slym. Would like to hear more from you about him. I know there could be restrictions, but whatever you could tell us with in those confinements would be great to read. I for one, have a lot of respect for Karl seeing the way he got GM to a better position.

He's answered several of my tweets. I guess whenever he finds time, he does try and answer, and very positively.

Even in the 'Ideator' meet, he was patiently listening & explaining things to help us understand stuff.

I had read your thread and thank you for that. clap: The level of interaction with you would have been slightly different (because you guys were guests) is what I would be inclined to believe. Though the basic traits remain the same, he could be a little different in office and might have initiated some process to get back Tata on track. I would like to know of those things, if those could be shared.

I guess we are going a bit :OT here and should keep the discussion limited to storme rather than Mr. Karl Slym.

I believe I can address few of your concerns as I also moved from swift diesel to storme, also have a comparable physique(6'-3") and more importantly spent more than 9 months and 20000 kms with the beast as my daily ride to office, sites, highways and the roads less travelled.

1. Underthigh support is surely on the lower side but rarely you feel uncomfortable.
2. Steering does touch or leaves a very little space. but once you get used to it never is a hurdle, and it takes hardly some minutes to get used to. Also getting in and out might be a problem for people who use the step to climb in, as for me, I directly climb in and out, wherein steering is never an issue.
3. My shoe (size 11.5) never got rubbed/stuck in the underside of console, except once when I had driven storme after 4 days of driving my wife's fiesta. so I also presume it has more to do with driving/foot technique, rather than a vehicle.

Today, I test-drove Tata Safari Storme VX at Concorde Motors, Mysore Road.

I liked the commanding driving position, which ensures bird's eye-view of the highway! Storme got the right of way all along the Mysore SH! :) I took 2 U-turns easily thanks to small turning radius. But, then, the truck lacks multi-information display, ACC and dead pedal. Gear-slotting was not smooth.

I met Somu, who looked after my Linea during the 5 services there. He is now service controller there. According to him, there are no complaints on Storme. He assured me of the best service, if I buy Storme!

Thanks for your response Behram. I wil bring this to the notice of the service manager from TATA who said even new cars did not have it therefore it should not be there. No explanation as to where the ones that WERE there came from! :Frustrati

Non return one way valves much like the duckbilled crank breathers on the old Bullets. Admirable intention, poor execution. In that good idea, but the valves should stay in lace where fitted, and not get dislodged so easy.

Can you share please how many of the 3 holes per door are supposed to be fitted OE with these valves from the factory?

As mentioned earlier, on inspection I see that at the bottom (am assuming the valves are only there for egress of water and not at the top as well) the 4 side doors have 3 such capsule shaped holes each, and the tailgate has 4.

Please confirm. Your help is really apreiated bro.

Will PM you my number again. Would be happy to meet up, let you see and ride my Bullet, and help you with your Bullet travails. I think you will be happy with the Thunderbird 500, but I would be more happy seeing a bawaji on a standard. :) Your call in the end.

Sir, are you indicating towards Explorer kit 2-din system, or something like integrated 2-din MID is in the store? If so, can we expect it in coming few months?
Thanks in advance for your reply.

OT :p

But I saw this car zooming past me a couple of days back, here in China. For a moment I thought it was Safari Storme as the front looked ridiculously similar. It is Yusheng007 SUV from BAW

^^^
Looks like a rip off of the Strome in part and of the Pajero Sport for the rest. Looks good but considering it is Chinese one does doubt the engineering below the skin.

Nice to see that Chinese Auto companies are copying Indian designs, this is the second copy after Bajaj Pulsar was copied!

:Cheering: Go India

Guys

Some updates from my side:

1. Front 2 shockers replaced due to a leak in one of them
2. Front and ret brake pads replaced under AMC as the previous ones wouldn't stop whistling
3. Alignment hopefully has been sorted out now; steering seems stable and no pulling
4. Have been given a stand by music system as my piece went into a searching mode and never came back
5. Car from the 1st start to the temp needle going half way takes at least 5 kms and sometimes 10 to 15 mins nowadays-during this time, the engine is quite noisy.

Looking forward to the 3rd service in February as have been told the truck will behave much better once the oil and filters have been changed. Btw, the truck has only done 10500 Kms till now and completes one year on 24th feb'14. When should I give it for servicing?

Anyone done their service want I share their comments on any improvements felt post the 3rd service will be more than welcome.

AFAIK TATA people are very particular about lapse of service dates & in your case if its 24th feb, you should get it done within a weeks time prior to 24th Feb.

My 3rd service is also due in January '14 so hopefully i shall give my inputs. Although i have heard from people that this is a vital service for the Storme & includes major changes , i just wish TATA service people do it diligently & deliver the results.