[Manuuj]

Originally Posted by PhantomLord

I was referring to post # (Force Gurkha Review)311 where I removed spare alloy to check if it had ET markings. So do not know exact CB ...

I think you can run without centering ring and change on need to basis.

The Center Bore of the Neo Alloy is 110 mm same as my Plati Alloy Wheel. Measured and Confirmed

There is no Centering Ring being used.

I feel that the Taper on the Lug Bolts centers the Alloy wheel to the Hub. Kindly correct me if I am wrong. Here is a pic of the Tapered Lug Bolt that is used to fasten the Wheel to the Hub.


The Hub holes also have a similar taper to accommodate the taper on the Tapered Lug Bolt.


I think this should put this issue to rest.

In other news my Alloy wheels have been prepped for paint and painting will commence today. Going for a Matte Satin Finish in Antique Bronze.

It will go well with the Forest Green of the Gurkha.

No pics.

Saving these for my Ownership Review

[rakesh_r]

Originally Posted by Manuuj

T
Saving these for my Ownership Review

When is your vehicle scheduled for delivery? Can't wait to see those Alloys in action. Also if possible get one of those anti theft alloy nuts.

[iceman7]

Originally Posted by Manuuj

No pics.

Saving these for my Ownership Review

Come on! Now you're just teasing us!!

I have been wondering for a while now what Gurkha owners will want to do with the rear windows during Summers.

@Manuuj, assuming you are in Delhi, and that your summer is mad hot, do you have any plans for the rear windows? Or are you just going to put sun visors on them?

[Manuuj]

Originally Posted by rakesh_r

When is your vehicle scheduled for delivery? Can't wait to see those Alloys in action. Also if possible get one of those anti theft alloy nuts.

Hopefully by the end of November it should be ready for delivery. I did source the anti theft nuts but since the Gurkha uses stud bolts that fasten onto the hub I have had to return them.

Will get Anti Theft bolts if they are available from a good Fastener manufacturer like Unbrako.

Originally Posted by iceman7

Come on! Now you're just teasing us!!

I have been wondering for a while now what Gurkha owners will want to do with the rear windows during Summers.

@Manuuj, assuming you are in Delhi, and that your summer is mad hot, do you have any plans for the rear windows? Or are you just going to put sun visors on them?

I have thought about it too. V COOL film is an option. I think over 90% heat is not allowed through. Since its a clear film it will not be an issue with the authorities.

The alloys have been painted with 3 coats of paint and 2 coats of a matte satin clear coat.
They were baked and have been left overnight in the spray booth.
The finish is superb and they are looking stunning.

I really want to save the pics for my ownership review.

The spray gun used is the same that the person uses for painting Jaguar's and Range Rovers etc. Will do a proper post about the whole paint process in my ownership review.

I wonder if one is allowed to start an ownership review before actually taking delivery of the vehicle?

That way we could all go through the whole preparation process and even "virtually" go to Mandi in Himachal to take delivery together!

If any one wants HULK as a name for their Gurkha they are free to do so.

Since my previous ownership review was about Obelix (My Green 2009 Fortuner) what better name for the Green Gurkha than to be called- Asterix!

[wbd8779]

Just got a Test Drive at Rohit Force on GT road Delhi . While Manuuj has already documented whats really the core on this subject , my feedback is based on my current 4*4 toy a 2016 Thar which I have driven 45k kms .

1. • Imposing looks - the bonnet edges are clearly visible
   • I took it to the road behind the showroom - lots of truck traffic and huge craters , was a dream on this sort of stuff , side to side movement is appreciably lesser than my Thar.
   • Interior quality is perfectly acceptable
   • Seats are wonderful ( Benchmark - Old Thar stock seats )
   • Feels Indestructible
   • Engine power/ acceleration is satisfactory for me - The Thar has more power , but this is also perfectly acceptable.

My only worry is after sales and warranty support, specifically downtime if anything fails - @Manuuj , how confident would you be on this aspect .

I am sold on this one - random in house talk has been started on the need of another 4*4 this time a hardtop and 4 seats - perhaps a visit to the Tanishq store might help things along nicely

[gthang]

Originally Posted by Manuuj

I have thought about it too. V COOL film is an option. I think over 90% heat is not allowed through. Since its a clear film it will not be an issue with the authorities.

Hope the fold and tumble mod will be doable. Wonder if the new Gurkha seats have more girth to them compared to previous one that prevents the folding.

Pardon if it's too far out of the box and no idea on legality, but have been seeing some pretty decent Venetian and other rolling blinds being used in home interiors. With very compact top units. There seems to be enough sill width in the window to have something custom made. Just a random thought.

Cheers

[Manuuj]

Originally Posted by wbd8779

Just got a Test Drive at Rohit Force on GT road Delhi . While Manuuj has already documented whats really the core on this subject , my feedback is based on my current ..
My only worry is after sales and warranty support, specifically downtime if anything fails - @Manuuj , how confident would you be on this aspect .

I am sold on this one -

Really pertinent points by a current Thar owner. Even i felt the side to side movement was well contained and that the interiors were perfectly acceptable for what the Gurkha is priced at.

The way all my requests have been heeded by the people at Force Motors i am very confident that if any issues do crop up they will be dealt with reasonable haste and urgency. If things fail which at some point things are bound to do I feel fairly confident that similar urgency and haste will be applied.

The way i have been treated so far by the Sales team has me thinking I am buying a Bentley not a Gurkha. By "treated" i don't mean anything apart from very very prompt replies to ever question i have raised with them and prompt solutions to any issue I might have had (within reason).

Since I am no "Laal Batti Wallah" VIP by a long shot i imagine this is the way all customers are being treated by this All New avatar of Force Motors that has left me very impressed so far.

Originally Posted by gthang

Hope the fold and tumble mod will be doable. Wonder if the new Gurkha seats have more girth to them compared to previous one that prevents the folding.

Pardon if it's too far out of the box and no idea on legality, but have been seeing some pretty decent Venetian and other rolling blinds being used in home interiors. With very compact top units. There seems to be enough sill width in the window to have something custom made. Just a random thought.

Cheers

The new Gurkha seats sure are wider and that could be a reason that fold and tumble isn't quite possible with the front seat.
But at the same time with some application a workable solution will be found.

I need to get my hands on my Gurkha for that first though.

As far as the rear fixed glass goes i will try VCool transparent film for heat dissipation and basic square window blinds for privacy.

Though one solution is the roller blinds that some people fit to their cars rear windscreen. Something like this with a roller mechanism and with the length of a regular cars rear windscreen blind, which is about 90 cm long can work very well for the XXL rear window of the Gurkha.

[rakesh_r]

Finally managed to TD the new Force Gurkha today.
Dealer- Mahalakshmi Force
Location - Pune-Solapur highway, Pune

My observations as below-
1- Its huge, commanding driving position, i could almost see the roof of a Scorpio. People move aside very respectfully, you can easily muscle your way through in city traffic.

2- Engine is very refined, the clutch is very light, even lighter than my Scross 1.6. Got to laude Force for their efforts, the new version is way different than the previous gen.

3- Truly commercial to the core, people accustomed with driving the Sumo, Thar DI, Cruiser or Traveller will feel home. Gurkha felt underpowered after coming from a remapped Scross 1.6. Since i don't prefer going above 120 kmph, I felt the Gurkha will meet my needs since i need to adjust my driving style. I am convinced that the Gurkha can comfortably do 100 all day without breaking a sweat. City driving is easier as compared to my Scross. Requested the sales rep to take over during the return leg, just to observe how he was driving, shifting at the right time is the key, you can't drive the Gurkha the way you drive a hatchback or a sedan.

4- HVAC- satisfied, never expected the cabin to cool down so fast. Even with the blower set to one, the cabin was comfortably cool (confirmed by the missus who was sitting behind).

5- Steering, coming from an EPS, the Steering of the Gurkha being Hydraulic, I didn't feel any difficulty in maneuvering the mammoth.

6- Power Windows- Found the winding action to be very slow.

7- Seating- Very comfortable, though I miss the height adjustment. Armrests for the front seats would have been welcome.

8- Driving comfort and handling- Dismisses bad roads with ease, nimble handling in city, however at high speeds, playing slalom can be a bad idea. Felt the gear lever to be a bit far. Gear shifts were smooth and precise.

9- Availability-Red and white are readily available, Green and Orange are in great demand and has a waiting period of 1.5 months. Vehicles are being driven down to dealers from Force Motor's Indore plant.

10- Service and support- As of now there is only one dealer in Pune. In a week or so a second branch of the current dealer will be opening up. A separate team has been assigned to assist Gurkha owners in case of any issues. After sales and service is being ramped up on war footing. The dealer whom i visited is normally shut on Sundays. looking at the demand and Interest, the showroom would be open on Sundays too.

On the alloy wheels being sold as a compulsory accessory, the dealer mentioned that alloy wheels are optional since they need to be purchased separately. They can deliver the vehicle with the steel rims (vehicle looks anaemic in my opinion) also, upon customer request.

[speedz]

I came across a video of Trojan, one of the Force Gurkha owners here. He has been featured in the REAL ADVENTURE - REAL EXPERIENCES series. I hope he doesn't mind the link being posted here. If he has any objections, I will delete my post.

I, personally, like the series because of the sense of reality that has been captured. And, obviously, one can relate to the real people and the 'real' experiences featured in these videos.

http://youtu.be/FaGDFUWP3E0

[Manuuj]

Yesterday i was wondering about the status of the Ban on Bull Bars and Crash Guards in India. In 2017 the center had banned their use and directed all states to follow suit.

This was challanged and Delhi HC had put the ban on hold till the courts came to a decision on the matter. In Sep 2021 the Madras High Court upheld the ban for the State of Tamil Nadu and asked the Traffic Police to strictly enforce the ban.

All this research was being done by me since I wanted to install a G Wagen style Bull Guard on my Gurkha. Its seems that it will be a "Fine Magnet" if i do.

That furthur got me thinking about the legality of the Snorkel, Windscreen Bar, Roof Carrier and Rear Ladder that i have ordered my Gurkha with.

I figured that since these are Company supplied and fitted accessories they must be ARAI approved and thus endorsed on the Registration Certificate.

This must be a different document than the Registration Card that we are provided which hold only basic information about the vehicle like:
Chassis Number,
Engine Number,
Make,
Model,
Cubic Capacity,
Fuel Type,
Date of Registration,
Period of Validity,
Color,
Registration Number,
Owners Name and Address

There is no endorsement of any accessories fitted anywhere.

So how would one prove to a insistent/stubborn traffic cop that whatever the Gurkha comes with is company supplied and fitted?

I did an online search about Registration approvals for the Gurkha in Delhi and found two documents. One for the 2021 Gurkha and another for the 2016 Gurkha.

The 2016 document had a certificate attached (3rd Page) which listed certain things/changes that are a part of the 2016 Gurkha.

I could not find a similar certificate for the 2021 Gurkha.

One may also notice that the 2021 Gurkha has been approved for Registration as an 8 seater (7+D), a 5 seater(4+D), as well as 4 seater (3+D) the last one being the one currently on sale.

Though surprisingly for some reason the wheelbase is the same for all three iterations.

2021 Gurkha Approval for Registration



2016 Gurkha Approval for Registration

[rakesh_r]

Originally Posted by Manuuj

That furthur got me thinking about the legality of the Snorkel, Windscreen Bar, Roof Carrier and Rear Ladder that i have ordered my Gurkha with.

Clause no 8: Addition of optional Airfilter of m/S Fleet Guard- Why is the airfilter termed as "Optional". Is the complete Snorkel with the airbox combo designed by Fleetguard? or is this optional airfilter being referred to as the Snorkel?

[Dry Ice]

Originally Posted by Manuuj

…
There is no endorsement of any accessories fitted anywhere.

So how would one prove to a insistent/stubborn traffic cop that whatever the Gurkha comes with is company supplied and fitted?
…

Well, that’s just the sad reality. Even if you were to carry along a document like that, it all depends on the cop that pulls you over. He can still insist on this being endorsed on the RC. I haven’t experienced such “heavy handedness” in the hill states though (HP, UK, JK). Most of the incidents have been with PB.

That said, looking forward to your ownership report soon. All the best!

[starter]

Hey Manuuj,
I wanted to purchase this roof carrier.
Could you share some details on the pricing and availability of the same?
Really, looking forward to Asterix's ownership review thread.
Thanks..

[Manuuj]

Originally Posted by rakesh_r

Clause no 8: Addition of optional Airfilter of m/S Fleet Guard- Why is the airfilter termed as "Optional". Is the complete Snorkel with the airbox combo designed by Fleetguard? or is this optional airfilter being referred to as the Snorkel?

The snorkel would have been listed as a Raised Air Intake. This probably means addition of a vendor of air filters as an approved option along with an earlier approved vendor of air filters.

Originally Posted by Dry Ice

Well, that’s just the sad reality.I haven’t experienced such “heavy handedness” in the hill states though (HP, UK, JK). Most of the incidents have been with PB.

That said, looking forward to your ownership report soon. All the best!

They really are special aren't they these Punjab and Chandigarh Traffic Cops. They should be awarded special Degrees for harrassment. How their eyes light up when they see and out of state vehicle!

I will ask my dealer if they can provide any documentation regarding fitted accessories that would help to defang these cretins.

Asterix should begin its slow trundle from the Pithampur Plant in Madhya Pradesh to Mandi in Himachal by tommorow.

So am hoping that in the next 10 to 12 days it should be ready for delivery to me post, PDI, Insurance, Registration and number plate fitment. (Once Asterix is registered in my name the RTO at Solan will send the Number Plates to the dealer at Mandi directly and this can take time)

The Alloys and Tyres are also packed and ready to be dispatched by me in Delhi to the Mandi dealer so they may install the TPMS sensors and mount them onto Asterix.

Hope he likes his new shoes!

This will also be the first time i will be buying a car blind. I will only get to see the car when i go to take Delivery of Asterix post Registration in my name.

That is fine though. I trust the salesperson that i am dealing with and i trust the people at Force Motors i have met in Delhi.

Originally Posted by starter

Hey Manuuj,
I wanted to purchase this roof carrier.
Could you share some details on the pricing and availability of the same?
Really, looking forward to Asterix's ownership review thread.
Thanks..

Roof carrier price is the same for all india which is around Rs.17,000. Quite a decent price for a well engineered product.

I am keen to find out the load limit for the Carrier as well as the load limit for the roof of the Gurkha.

The OE Roof Carrier is easily available with the Dealers. If not then they can arrange for it to be procured on order also.

I am also really looking forward to compiling a review soon. Thanks!

[2himanshu]

Guys please ask for ARAI certificate copy to dealer or Force Motor's own sales team. It might run a few pages but should be detailed enough with diagrams and everything. Cheers!