[Manuuj]

Originally Posted by hazchem

Pass on the company fitted carrier. It is one annoying bit that I don't like. The cage on the Jerry can holder makes it just a tad bit too tall to fit in most underground parking lots

Twice, I've had situations where I had to find open-air parking because Shrek would not fit.

Given that in all parts of India you will never be more than 250 km from a gas station. This means Jerry can carry extra fuel is not needed, given Gurkhas 600+ km range.

When I get time, I am going to have it removed with a blow torch as it has been welded onto the carrier.

Thank you so much for the input. I will surely reconsider the Carrier. The one they had at the Auto Expo on the Orange one was larger and better looking. Wish they had gone with that design.

Originally Posted by T2luvroads

Heartiest congratulations Manuuj...

Originally Posted by Shekhar Rao

Hearty congratulations Manuuj ..
I will be getting Nemo tommorow..
I will climb up there A ladder that starts lower down would be more usable

Originally Posted by Trojan

Oh man, this colors a looker, understated and brutal simultaneously - and my favorite too!

Congratulations and best wishes buddy! Looking forward to see you at the camp!


Cheers!

Thank you all so much for the good wishes.

@Shekhar Rao you are correct about the rear ladder being short. I think the new redesigned tail lamps had something to do with this.

It will not be difficult to fabricate another ladder that folds down from this ladder on a hinge. Have planned for it. The new Defender has something similar.

Congratulations to you too for getting Nemo home today!!

We demand Pics Pics and more Pics! I know you may be busy admiring him but please spare a thought for us too.

@Trojan I am also really looking forward to visiting Bear Valley Camp in Asterix soon. Just cannot wait to get my hands on him.

I just read a review by a person on the Gurkha Facebook page. I don't know if he is on Team Bhp but he wrote a wonderful crisp review on his own White 2021 Gurkha that he has driven 6200 kms in 29 days of ownership.

He made it a point to write that the Gurkha cruises effortlessly at 100-110 kmph and he was dumfounded as to why such a fuss was made about this by the enlighted magazine and YouTube reviewers. He said he drove it over 6 hours and felt no fatigue!

This is a point Trojan has made many a times over the din of ill informed or biased reviewers, at the risk of going hoarse!

Comfort for all passengers was very good and body roll is well contained according to him. No discomfort for rear passengers at all.

Engine noise was there with windows down but with windows up and AC on it seemed to dissipate magically in his own words.

I will take his word over the "professional" (biased) reviews of Autocar, Powerdrift and the likes anyday!

[Trojan]

Originally Posted by Manuuj

Congratulations to you too for getting Nemo home today!!

We demand Pics Pics and more Pics! I know you may be busy admiring him but please spare a thought for us too.

@Trojan I am also really looking forward to visiting Bear Valley Camp in Asterix soon. Just cannot wait to get my hands on it.

I just read a crisp review by a person on the Gurkha Facebook page.
... that he has driven 6200 kms in 29 days of ownership.

He made it a point to write that the Gurkha cruises effortlessly at 100-110 kmph and he was dumfounded as to why such a fuss was made about this by the enlighted magazine and YouTube reviewers.

This is a point Trojan has made many a times over the din of ill informed or biased reviewers, at the risk of going hoarse!

Seriously man, almost all the 'professional' reviews were laughable and seemed to have reviewed the vehicle with a clear verdict in mind.

He has clarified from a 'User Perspective' all the so called negative/dicey factors of the vehicle and I hope now all should also see through the mist.

@ Shekhar Rao - Congratulations to you on your Nemo too... the Orange was our favorite for the review (Green wasn't available) and we loved every bit of it. A total looker and grabbed eyeballs everywhere we went.

Here are some pictures of the same before you guys blast the forum into exhilaration!

[Manuuj]

With the permission of the person Suchak Gaigole who posted the review of his 6200 kms done 2021 Gurkha on the Facebook Page of "Force Gurkha Pros and Cons" I am reproducing it below for anyone who would like to read it.

I sincerely hope that in doing so I am not breaking any Forum rules and if I am then I request Moderators to delete this post.

Force Gurkha review:

Hey guys, some of you did request me to add my detailed ownership review of gurkha in my previous post. Considering that, here is a quick review. Though you might feel it is too early as it is just 25 days since I received the delivery but mind you the beast has already travelled 6200+ km ( Gujrat, Madhya pradesh, Andhra pradesh).
Anyways, first thing first .

Driving Comfort - I was easily cruising 100-110kmph with complete comfort. The seats and shock absorbers are really doing a great job. I was able to drive 600km+ in a day without much of a tiredness .

Seating comfort - great , even for rear passengers. No bumpy ride.

Body roll - not sure why everyone else who reviewed gurkha said there is a lot of body roll. I mean there is a little body roll but isn't it expected for such a huge vehicle in this category.

Engine noise - It is surely there but as soon as you close the windows and turn on the AC, it just goes away magically . we do not use AC at all so that is little bit of a concern here for us.

AC - Strong, quickly make the cabin cool.

Power - enough for me. �� as I mentioned I do not like to drive fast anymore.

Engine - I dont think I need to say anything here. It is robust and I was able to cruise easily. Even bad roads were easy. ( mostly in MH and MP).

Space - if you are frequent long distance traveller , you will understand the need for this. With Gurkha , you will just love the amount of space it has.

Presence on the road - Do I really need to say anything about this. All eyes will be on Gurkha always. I mean Always. People just love it. Everywhere i stopped, there was surely questions from people around.

Music - good speakers and enjoyable sound quality. Could have been better though.

Service - again Vivek from force excelled as I got the reguler check ups done in Surat and ahmedabad. Both the dealers were great but ahmedabad dealer was exceptional with the service .

Mileage - around 9-9.5 kmpl for now.

Lastly, there are few issues i faced as well

1. Reverse sensor issue - suddenly reverse sensor was activating while on the road. Once I came back , the dealer with the help of force guys fixed it.

2. Rattling noise from back door - it started suddenly but looks like fixed now after FM and Dealer worked on it.

3. Kenwood - for some reason my android phone keeps disconnecting automatically while playing songs . apple device works fine. I am trying to figure out if it is my phone's issue or with kenwood device.

4. Brake sound - well the brakes are really good. I had to apply emergency brakes couple of times so they are solid. However there is a small "tak" sound started while I release the brake which was looked at by the service guys and fixed it.

Improvements/suggestion :

1. Rear seats - guys , please make these foldable so we can use complete space at the back in case of just two travellers. This will avoid adding roof top tent for people like me who can just sleep at the back.

2. Passengers seat belt warning - no sensor so you have to keep the seat belt ON even if no one is sitting next to you which is annoying .

3. DRL sensor - dont forget to turn them off as there is no sensor.

4. Rear passenger entry - with luggage loaded , it becomes difficult for rear passenger to come out.

5. Dealership - lot of training is still needed for the some of the resources at SOME dealers end. I can see that they are trying to improve but they need polished people. I interacted with 3 dealers.

6. Glove box - has to be little bit bigger.

7. Tyres - definitely need bigger tyres as such a big vehicle looks odd with small tyres and the tyre frame is also very high to manage bigger tyres.

8. Hand rest - I think this is needed for front passanger .

9. Gearbox and driving comfort - I still think there is an improvement needed. I am going to use gurakha as primary vehicle so it is definitely refined than previous version but FM can push the bar little ahead.

10. Fuel lid - not sure if it is just my vehicle but I find it difficult and annoying while closing the lid.

11. Find my gurkha feature - not needed at all. The vehicle is so huge , you cannot miss it.

12. TPMS - need better system. Doesn't look reliable.

13. Rear parking camera - will be a good addition for such a huge vehicle.

14. Chassis and engine number plate - not sure why on the hood . in case of any mishaps and if the plate is damaged then it can be a problem.

Final word - Absolutely in love with the vehicle. It serves our purpose. Looks like FM has a great team now and hope they continue with the same support. All these small glitches above are nothing when you have someone to go beyond your expectations to support you. In all, happy with the decision to go with Gurakha over Thar

End of User Review

[cool_dube]

Originally Posted by Manuuj

Here is its first look as it was parked upon reaching the Mandi Showroom

Boy! What a looker, especially in this color

Had automatic transmission not been a crucial requirement, it would have been a really tough choice for me between the Thar and the Gurkha. Force Motors have really taken their game many notches higher with the new Gurkha. Waiting to see one on the road, to be able to ogle at it

Wishing you many many happy, safe, and adventurous miles on your Asterix!! Looking forward to your ownership thread.

[anshu1101]

Many congratulations Manuuj! The car really towers over any other car on the road and looks smashing.

Wish you many happy kms with your new steed!

[ShivrajG]

Congratulations on your new ride. Looks preety butch!
Noob Question -> What does the 4X4X4 means ? I understand 4X4 or AWD but this does have 4 wheels only and not 6 right ?

[jagan88]

Originally Posted by ShivrajG

Congratulations on your new ride. Looks preety butch!
Noob Question -> What does the 4X4X4 means ? I understand 4X4 or AWD but this does have 4 wheels only and not 6 right ?

4x4x4 = 4x4 x 4(all four seasons). Force invention

[Manuuj]

Originally Posted by ShivrajG

Congratulations on your new ride. Looks preety butch!
Noob Question -> What does the 4X4X4 means ? I understand 4X4 or AWD but this does have 4 wheels only and not 6 right ?

Just something coined by the Marketing department at some point in the Gurkhas History.

It is time they let this go.

4X4 stands for Four Whee Drive and the extra 4X denotes for all 4 seasons.

Plan to have that sticker removed and the extra 4X cut out. If it looks clean after the extra 4X has been cut then i will put it back on else I have already ordered two 4x4 badges in Black color to replace them.

If it had 6 wheels it would be counted as 6X6 anyway.

Originally Posted by jagan88

4x4x4 = 4x4 x 4(all four seasons). Force invention

Quite correct!

Originally Posted by anshu1101

Many congratulations Manuuj! The car really towers over any other car on the road and looks smashing.

Wish you many happy kms with your new steed!

Thank you so much. Sunday, 29th November is delivery day Godwilling!

Originally Posted by cool_dube

Boy! What a looker, especially in this color

Had automatic transmission not been a crucial requirement, it would have been a really tough choice for me between the Thar and the Gurkha. Force Motors have really taken their game many notches higher with the new Gurkha. Waiting to see one on the road, to be able to ogle at it

Wishing you many many happy, safe, and adventurous miles on your Asterix!! Looking forward to your ownership thread.

Thank you so much for your good wishes. Yes an Automatic would have been very welcome indeed. I used to prefer Manuals earlier but now have given into the comfort of Automatics.

But to be honest i much prefer the Gurkha in manual. I've been to Spiti in my Automatic Endeavour 3.2 and always had a niggling worry since a stranded Automatic will be very difficult to tow incase of a breakdown.

Manual transmissions do give some peace of mind in remote areas.

As far as 4x4 capabilities go i feel both manual and automatic transmissions have their own advantages. Manuals can give you more control and are more fun sometimes.

With Automatics offroad driving is much easier as the vehicle manages a lot of things for you. Less slippage due to wheelspin and less chances of burning a clutch also. Hill Hold, speed programmable Hill Descent Control, various Terrain Modes etc etc make offroading a breeze for beginners too.

These are just my views on my own experience with driving an automatic Range Rover TDV8, a manual Toyota Fortuner and an automatic Endeavour on road as well as offroad.

I love the Gurkha for its back to basics analog nature. Manual Transmission, Manual 4x2/ 4x4 High and Low Range Transfer Case, Manual Twin Differential Locks, Hydraulic power steering which provides good feedback.

Built for purpose. Zero frills.

I will only miss Volume, and Call buttons on the steering wheel but have already found a bluetooth steering mounted remote control for this job.

May even upgrade to a 9 inch screen if one fits. Not a fan of the stock Kenwood system especially after experiencing the Endeavours music system which has been my daily drive the past couple of years.

[Shekhar Rao]

Thanks Manuuj and Trojan for your good wishes. Took delivery of Nemo yesterday. It was an enjoyable experience with two fully decked up Gurkhas, one orange and one red in the showroom. Truly, there is an excitement and special feeling created by the vehicle.

The area sales head and the service head as well as the GM were welcoming and spent a good amount of time explaining different things. The sales executive also has been very helpful and equal in sharing my enthusiasm. I have told them that I would very much like a factory tour and also a chance to drive to the place where Trojan filmed the video. I have told them that I will look forward to their support for pan India drives and they are very encouraging and have assured support and back up. This promises to be an enthusiast's car!

I drove about 80 kms on smooth and rough roads. Although the tyres were overinflated at delivery, the ride quality was really good. At one point, where there is a sharp right and an immediate speed breaker, it always caused severe side to side oscillation in my Fortuner. So I was braced for what the super tall Gurkha would do and to my absolute surprise, I was delighted to find very negligible rolling and just a blip over the breaker. I enjoyed the slight snarl from the snorkel when the window is opened and the light and quite precise gear shifts. I have no problem with the speed as I drive to enjoy the scenery and the Gurkha aces this department. But the very relaxed acceleration and the need to rev to above 1500 and shift gears is noticeable and one needs to be patient. The lights are good and the fog lamps aid the closer spread Couldn't really understand the cornering function and whether it is actually there. This is a good feature while on curvy roads and I had liked it when I had test driven the Yeti and the newer Scorpio.

The AC works well. The fan started making an extra whine after some time and I will ask about this next time. Small squeaks are there from the rear, maybe seats or the door.

Haven't checked out the infotainment yet, but was told that navigation happens through phone mirroring via USB cable The Gurkha picture that comes on first is nice to see.

The lit up interiors look quite nice at night and with the black finishing polish on the dash, it seems to be something that actually grows on you. But I wish the AC vents were less plasticky and had a better control mechanism.

The driving posture is great and fatigue free. I quite like placing my left foot flat on the floor board and don't miss the dead pedal. I like the feel and size of the steering too. However, I still need to find the perfect position for reaching out to the gear shifter and steering wheel position combined.

The TPMS kept alarming and blinking. It was reading very high. The tyres were overinflated and as I had to drive a bit and get everything working initially. I ignored it and kept muting the alarm. The service chief assured me that the system works well I also got a speed alarm in the cluster when I exceeded 80 kms. I didn't know what it was in the beginning and then realised it when it went off after dropping speed below 80. Is this a governor during the running in period, I wonder.

[Trojan]

Originally Posted by Shekhar Rao

Thanks Manuuj and Trojan for your good wishes Took delivery of Nemo yesterday It was an enjoyable experience with two fully decked up Gurkhas ,one orange and one red in the show room Truly there is an excitement and special feeling created by the vehicle
The area sales head and the service head as well as the GM were welcoming and spent a good amount of time explaining different things The sales executive also has been very helpful and equal in sharing my enthusiasm I have told them that I would very much like a factory tour and also a chance to drive to the place where Trojan filmed the video I have told them that I will look forward to their support for pan India drives and they are very encouraging and have assured support and back up This promises to be an enthusiast's car !

Woohooo! Congratulations!!

The Orange is smoking hot and is going to turn heads wherever you go! You would absolutely love the place where we reviewed the vehicle, the vistas are surreal.
Yes, I hope that 80kmph alarm is only set for Run-in period, needs to be switched off asap!
The suspension swallows every hump, bump, crater - lock stock and barrel as with the luggage.
All one feels inside is a slight indication of having crossed something - nothing beyond that.
I think you were trying to get in touch with me last month, my apologies, I was totally caught up and not active here and I missed your post. I will drop you a PM with my number.

Wish you many adventures with your Nemo!

Regards,

[karthikd21]

Originally Posted by Shekhar Rao

Took delivery of Nemo yesterday It was an enjoyable experience with two fully decked up Gurkhas ,one orange and one red in the show room Truly there is an excitement and special feeling created by the vehicle

Hearty Congratulations! Being a fellow owner of a Gurkha, I can feel the excitement . Although I never test drove the latest version, I can imagine it to be only better than my BS3.

In my ownership of 4 months(mine is a 2016 model), I have felt that the sensors in this vehicle are not set up in a robust manner. They turn on and off for silly reasons at times. For ex: Front Diff locker sensor lights up when I go fast over a crater on the road accidently. It goes off in sometime automatically. When I showed it to the SA, they mentioned its loose connection. Yes, be cautious if "EDC" light comes up. But, for other components which are mostly mechanical like 4wd equipment, don't get alarmed.

Wishing you lakhs' of kilometers of unlimited fun! keep us posted. I am in Bangalore, do PM me if you happen to visit and we can meet up.

[sandeepmdas]

Originally Posted by jagan88

4x4x4 = 4x4 x 4(all four seasons). Force invention

IMHO inspired by the former Land Rover catchline: "best four-by-four by far."

[cool_dube]

Originally Posted by Shekhar Rao

Took delivery of Nemo yesterday

Many congratulations, sir! This color is probably the most "exciting" one on the Gurkha

Originally Posted by Shekhar Rao

I also got a speed alarm in the cluster when I exceeded 80 kms I didnt know what it was in the beginning and then realised it when it went off after dropping speed below 80 Is this a governor during the running in period , I wonder

This is a "feature" in all BS6 cars. Wait till you cross 120 kmph Unfortunately, you do not have an option but to live with it.

[powertrain]

Dear Force Motors,
We all know you go through this thread. What you also may know is that we have loved the vehicle!!

In my opinion the only thing lacking on this beast is - AT. With 4x4 & Diff locks.

There are many urban dwellers who slog in the city on weekdays & need an SUV to scratch the off road itch.

Please make it happen.

Regards,
Powertrain

[Manuuj]

Originally Posted by Shekhar Rao

Thanks Manuuj and Trojan for your good wishes Took delivery of Nemo yesterday It was an enjoyable experience...

...I also got a speed alarm in the cluster when I exceeded 80 kms I didnt know what it was in the beginning and then realised it when it went off after dropping speed below 80 Is this a governor during the running in period , I wonder

Woohooo!! Congratulations! Nemo sure has presence! Wish you miles and miles of smiles ahead.

Glad to note that the ride was very good. Thanks for the heads up on tyre pressure. I shall keep an eye in this when i see Asterix in two days time.

Was the speed alarm a continuous beep? Or a single beep that only came on after crossing 80 kmph. If it is a single beep upon crossing 80 kmph then that is normal for all BS6 cars.
The continuous beep only comes on after crossing 120.

On another note Asterix has been taken by the dealership to have his Alloys and Tyres fitted as i write this.

The permanent registration still hasn't come through even though the process was started on 19th November. All fees have been paid online and recipts have been issued to us also.

Upon inquiry as to why it was taking this much time we were told that the official incharge at the solan RTO is on leave till the 30th of November. There is therefore some backlog that has also naturally built up. Our file may take upto another week to clear.

Now having waited for years and years to own a Gurkha my patience has finally run dry and I absolutely cannot wait another week to 10 days to take delivery of Asterix.
Thus we have decided to go ahead with taking delivery with Temporary Registration Plates . The dealer has assured me that it is perfectly legal to drive the vehicle across states on "a TR" as its colloquially known.

The sales person i am in touch with also sent me the RTO recipt of my Temporary Registration. I was surprised to note that its valid for 6 months. I thought its validity was one month only. Have marked the validity period in Red


The salesperson also graciously agreed to give me delivery on the 28th which is a Sunday even though the showroom is usually shut on that day.

He did say that the handover ceremony may lack the pomp and splendor of a usual delivery as he and a couple of other people may be the only people present for it as it would be a Sunday off for everyone.

He really wanted to hand over Asterix in style on Monday but the better half of yours truly has a flight to London on Tuesday night.
Driving 10 hours from Mandi to Delhi on Monday and a flight the very next day may be too much for her.

Lastly i have planned a small mod for Asterix which i shall work on till its perfected before debut. Here is a small preview..