Team-BHP - Tata Safari Storme : Official Review

Quote:

Originally Posted by tsk1979 (Post 3098040)

Tata could have offered a 5 year,100000kms bumper to bumper warranty(not the extended BS). That would have sent out a clear message "We trust our product, now its your turn".
In addition, they need to fire their plastic vendor. I saw a 5000kms done vehicle where the right horn pad stopped working. Some internal switch broke.
Our test vehicle had some plastic bits falling off.
Fixing such minor niggles adds maybe 200-300rs to manufacturing cost, but results in a large sales boost.

Yep I would have gone on to say that considering the current radial fall in fortunes even a standard 5 year 150,000 kmspack and and extended 7 years 200,000 kms option would have been the thing to do.

Even the Safari Strome VLX 4x4 that I had on trial for a few days had a couple of seat trims (near the hinge area (rubber caps) that had come loose and had to be fitted back in, it too was 5000 kms old. But overall It was much better than earlier Safari demo units that I had seen with multiple defects. The good bit was that there were zero rattles. The bad bit was that the rear door would sometimes open and sometimes not.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ACM (Post 3098197)

7 years 200,000 kms option would have been the thing to do.

The amount of passion in your veins if you are an automobile manufacturer, I don't think has a relation to successful companies or products. Why would a Maruti Suzuki be so successful then?

I remember during campus placements, the presentation made by Maruti was the dumbest and the presenters the lousiest ( a perception shared by vast majority). In contrast, TML casted quite an impression with how they made the pitch. Ironically, still for almost every student, Maruti was a more preferable employer than TML. This was 2005.

TML has to differentiate itself. Perceived low quality is its biggest problem. To get rid of that perception they have to come up with ground breaking warranty schemes. A 7 year / 250000 km would have rung bells.

No feedback on the original tires since changed on the day of purchase. Am using Michellin cross latitudes stock size. The ride and handling is fantastic and braking is confidence Inspiring. I know of a friend using the stock tires on his storme and he complains of fishtailing on rumbles on UP roads. Haven't experienced it yet in my car though. Also it absorbs pot holes with aplomb, don't know if this is due to the tires.

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Originally Posted by Fortuner71 (Post 3100004)

Using original tyres no issues reported mainly highway drives .

Same here. Stock.

Checked the air pressure a month after getting my truck (he he love saying that) and discovered that the front tyres were 35 instead of the 32 assured me by the SVC guys. No wonder the "bouncy" complaints.

Now the car even feels softer and more sure footed.

Tsk mentioned in a recent post about the complaint from Ratan Tata about lack of passion. I have great respect for this man. However, if you are passionate then we would like to see the car right from drawing board stage. How did Ratan approve the storme in the first place without drastic improvements ? We wait for safari launch for months and eagerly await any updates on team bhp threads. If I were in his position, I would have reviewed atleast flagship designs like aria and safari..... That's passion

Quote:

storme'd

: Am using Michellin cross latitudes stock size. The ride and handling is fantastic and braking is confidence Inspiring.

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Fortuner71

: Using original tyres no issues reported mainly highway drives.
ebonho

: Same here. Stock.
vigneshkumar31

: Changed to OE size continentals AT cross contacts,enjoying superior grip and planted stance.very good performance over gravel and stony trails.

Quote:

storme'd

: I know of a friend using the stock tires on his storme and he complains of fishtailing on rumbles on UP roads.

I have seen all three types of behaviour, and hence the question. My Sumo is still running on OE Bridgestone 689 Tubetype, and no problems as such in 7.5 years. But most of this driving has been in city. Also, the driving has been steady speeds - about 100 or so, max, depending on conditions.

On the other hand, got a practical demo of my Yoko's (on the Ikon) vs OE/Stock on a Getz (possibly GY). I was ahead of him, and had to brake suddenly. My Ikon stopped without a fuss. The Getz made a good amount of noise before it stopped. I had not realized the nature of the stopping I did, until I realised what the Getz went thru before it stopped.

My SA also says no issues reported with the stock Bridgestone's. He too suggests I stick to stock. Feedback through friends who spoke to users has shown nothing -ve.

So, if I do, I would go for the Michelin Lattitude's. Else stick to stock.

There are enough and more people who use the stocks on their storme and safari. However the comparison comes in once you have used some different tires. Me and Vignesh went for a drive in his storme on stock tires as well as the continentals on a bad road, the experience in the continentals was much better compared to Bridgestone.

Parwath, what you see here is that the Storme owners have either retained stock tyres or changed the tyres right after purchase, so individually they cannot talk about which tyre is better as they have experienced only what they are running on, your question can be answered better by the Safari owners who have changed tyres after using one set through its life cycle, if they find that there is a big difference in ride and handling between the OE Bridgestones and the Yokos/Michelins/BFGs/Continental, then it can only get better on the Storme.
I guess it is too early to expect the current Storme owners to compare tyres between brands as no one would have finished one life cycle of the tyre set.

Quote:

Originally Posted by condor (Post 3099804)

Your feedback on the stock Bridgestone 689's, pelase ?
Has any one replaced the tyres ? If yes, details please.

The Storme I tried out for a few days had Bridgestones they were fine at 5000 kms. The vehicle came with the tyre pressure at 45 and the ride was bumpy and the vehcile did loose control over rumble strips. I reduced the pressure to 33 all around on the second day. The vehicle immediately became much better and navigated the rumble strips also better even around bends. But it did tend to loose the rear end a bit a higher speeds on rumble strips.

The braking was good at all times in the Storme.

Have experienced the Michelin Cross Latitudes at another time (R17 on a different vehicle) and they did give a softer ride which was also more confidence inspiring compared to the bridgestrones that they replaced. Goodyear Wrangler R17 were BAD on the Aria and gave up in 25k kms - Company had to replace FOC so wouldn't suggest them on any SUV in India irrespective of the size.

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Originally Posted by condor (Post 3100968)

Similar experience on the Aria - the TD vehicle I had driven had bulges in 2 of the tyres. I dont remember the exact model of the tyres, though.

Yep multiple Aria's with Goodyears from the first lot had major tyre issues, and all tyres were replaced with Bridgestone Duellers.

They did this FOC or at a charge depending upon usage or our ability to raise ones voice.