[headers]

Originally Posted by navpreet318

I think you can now ask Sunny Sidhu for his reviews on that. Taking curves on the Leh road at 90 to 100+ would actually be insanity for normal drivers. Even if they are driving a state of the art sports SUV. I just want to know can the gypsy do it on Leh roads at 90 to 100+? Provided the driver is a normal one and not a rally pro or a rally pro wannabe?

^^:

I know a gypsy can take a bend / windy road at 90+..but have no idea about Leh - so maybe you are RIGHT THERE!

[codelust]

Originally Posted by DHABHAR.BEHRAM

I can only smile, looking at the mismatch between the body and the front fender! Some things never change, no matter how hard you try.

There was a 2012 Thar being worked at Druk in Leh, it was a RJ plate white color (new, apparently in the 2012 line up, otherwise available only in the DI model) with a door panel issue. The mech was banging away with a hammer to fix the problem. That's really sad.

Originally Posted by pjbiju

Good feedback there. How did you find the performance of the brakes? Also I was thinking that the Thar should be faster around corners. Is the Gypsy lighter (definitely yes) and having a lower CG (not sure about this) than the Thar, aiding it to go faster around the corners? And the stiffer suspension also helps it in this regard while the IFS of the Thar is working against it?

I have heard no complaints about the brakes from my friend and I guess both him and I drive mostly by working around shortcomings, but one place where I did see a bit of a difference was that they Gypsy was a lot more surefooted coming down a lot of the shortcuts created by local drivers at both Photi La and Gata Loops. This could also be because I was in 4L (1st or 2nd gear) on the really steep inclines. The Thar was rarely on 4L and always on higher gears than the Gypsy.

I do not know why the Gypsy is faster around corners, maybe the experts can shed some light on it. I find it a lot more chuckable than even my Swift. It has a sort of oversteer for folks like me who are used to power steering, but even with that I can turn in tighter around a corner or go wider with much more grip to spare than most other vehicles. The Thar was running 255 section Maxxis Bravo AT and has an aftermarket AC, while the Gypsy is running Tiger Type 2 Kamanis and 215 Yoko Geolander AT/S. Otherwise, both vehicles are bone stock.

Originally Posted by starter

Dear Codelust,
Thank you very much for this report.
I was waiting to hear some feedback from Thar owners who've taken it to the mountains.
It is great to hear that Thar has no overheating/power-loss problems up the hills.
As you say, it is just the hard-top that M&M has to add to the Thar now and we've got an amazing tourer.
It is also great to hear that your Gypsy also did well. Not to forget that he is close to 12 years old now!
Get an additional fan and a baleno radiator to sort out your over-heating issues.
Would be looking forward to read your travelogue.
Cheers,
Deepak

The Thar did not overheat, but it did experience power loss while going up to South Pullu. Same was the case with Wari La, with the significant difference being that the Thar was doing almost every section in 4H that the Gypsy was doing in 4L. The Gypsy did well way beyond my expectation, but there is little left in it from the original vehicle, even the engine block is a brand new one! Will be getting the bigger radiator soon.

Originally Posted by SPIKE ARRESTOR

Was the 4WD lever deployed anytime?

Spike

It was almost never used on Sringar-Leh and Manali-Leh (other than when we took to the steep short cuts). It was used extensively in the rarely-used tracks from Hanle to Tso Moriri via Chumur. There were deep sand banks out there with the middle ridge easily covering the diffs. We were literally ploughing through it.

Originally Posted by headers

Adding a HT to the Thar is not happening IMO - These reasons why M&M would not do a HT in FF form are:

1. Costs of development and testing is very high.
2. Bolero market would be killed if HT THAR comes from factory
3. A percentage of scorpio market would take a beating

So would M&M want to do it? Answer is obvious

Don't think 2 & 3 are valid for a simple reason that it is impossible to have anything more than 2-people and enough luggage in the Thar. In fact, this is a major shortcoming I had missed. The loops we want to do require about 700 - 1000 KMs of driving without fuel options available along the way. With a 60L tank the Thar will still need close to 40 more liters of fuel to be carried, the saner option for which is two 20L cans. You keep that and luggage for 2 people and you've run out of space in a Thar. A Scorpio and a Bolero can carry all that and two more people in the back.

Originally Posted by niks_devil666

i also saw a black thar at fotula which was cornering like hell. I didnt notice any body roll in that thar at those speeds (60+ uphill)

Was that a DL plate black on in the night?

Originally Posted by navpreet318

I think you can now ask Sunny Sidhu for his reviews on that. Taking curves on the Leh road at 90 to 100+ would actually be insanity for normal drivers. Even if they are driving a state of the art sports SUV. I just want to know can the gypsy do it on Leh roads at 90 to 100+? Provided the driver is a normal one and not a rally pro or a rally pro wannabe?

Rally guys do it on roads where they're reasonably sure of no oncoming traffic or other obstacles (even though both have occurred in rallies). If you take the standard speedy line, enter narrow and exit wide, with normal traffic you'll eventually have a head-on.

60 is easily doable in a Gypsy which is only very happy to let its tail out and once you get the hang of it, it becomes the most natural thing to do. Not pushed it much beyond that. I don't have a death-wish

[DHABHAR.BEHRAM]

Originally Posted by codelust

I do not know why the Gypsy is faster around corners, maybe the experts can shed some light on it. Thar was doing almost every section in 4H that the Gypsy was doing in 4L.

Dear Shyam (Codelust) - its the UW (unladen weight), FAW (front axle weight) and RAW (rear axle weight) which makes all the difference. If Thar was doing things in 4WD High that Gypsy was doing in 4WD low, it reinforces the direction I had set to progress the platform. Thanks for the free service! .

Dear Pratheesh - see the customer's comment. 521's sibling (which we almost made) would have been an absolute torpedo and a pleasure to throw around at rally speeds! Alas! . I hope somebody does something.

Best regards,

Behram Dhabhar

[niks_devil666]

Originally Posted by codelust

Was that a DL plate black on in the night?

11th eve , 5-6pm time , i was coming down from fotu la towards lamayuru. I was noticing the body roll so didnt see the number . I was doing 70-80 and the thar was going 60+ (atleast) .

I also took those shortcuts (on impulse) at Naki la and on the way to Pangong tso . They were comfortable. Took one small shortcut (going down) at gata loops and it was scary on two wheels

[headers]

Originally Posted by DHABHAR.BEHRAM

Dear Shyam (Codelust) - its the UW (unladen weight), FAW (front axle weight) and RAW (rear axle weight) which makes all the difference. If Thar was doing things in 4WD High that Gypsy was doing in 4WD low, it reinforces the direction I had set to progress the platform. Thanks for the free service! .

Dear Pratheesh - see the customer's comment. 521's sibling (which we almost made) would have been an absolute torpedo and a pleasure to throw around at rally speeds! Alas! . I hope somebody does something.

Best regards,

Behram Dhabhar

Dear DB Sir,

Thanks for the clarification w.r.t UW,RAW and FAW. You seemed to have missed a rather important point as to why the THAR dances around turns making it scary while it is fun to do it time and again in a gypsy.

[niks_devil666]

The only thar in the mughal rally crashed. Lucky escape for Sunny.

Mughal Rally: Narrow escape for Sunny & Murthy | Indian Sports News

[navpreet318]

Originally Posted by niks_devil666

The only thar in the mughal rally crashed. Lucky escape for Sunny.

Mughal Rally: Narrow escape for Sunny & Murthy | Indian Sports News

Saw the pics of the red thar on its side a couple of days back. Cannot comment on how it happened. We still are yet to get Sunny's take on what happened.

Too bad one of the good rally drivers from punjab lost his life in the rally.

[starter]

Originally Posted by niks_devil666

The only thar in the mughal rally crashed. Lucky escape for Sunny.

Mughal Rally: Narrow escape for Sunny & Murthy | Indian Sports News

Thanks for the article.
The article mentions it to be something related to the steering rod.
Any further detials on the reason for the failure?
Cheers,
Deepak

[niks_devil666]

Originally Posted by starter

Thanks for the article.
The article mentions it to be something related to the steering rod.
Any further detials on the reason for the failure?
Cheers,
Deepak

I was searching for results on the net (google) and found this article and article on the death of some driver and navigator being seriously injured. (see post above)

I have no other info than this article :(

[DHABHAR.BEHRAM]

Dear all - I read the news off the internet link. I am very shattered indeed to read that one competitor (driving a Gypsy I am told) lost his life. May his noble soul rest in peace and may his family have the courage to bear the tragic loss (I will pray in the Pune fire temple today evening), and one competitor was injured. I have confirmed that Sunny and his navigator are safe, which brings some relief. We can alalyze everything later. Right now, I can't think!

Best regards,

Behram Dhabhar

[KL54]

First post in Team-Bhp!
I'm posting this info for anybody looking to buy the Thar CRDe through the CSD route.
The Thar CRDe is not available as of now through CSD or Naval canteen (anywhere in India. Its an uniform policy). Mahindra hasn't even applied to sell the Thar through CSD.
No Mahindra vehicles are available through the CSD/naval canteen in Cochin.

[harikrishnanm]

Me and three friends are planning on an India trip covering 7000 Kms over a month or so. Would the Thar be a good option to do this trip. Most of the roads are "not too great" since we want to really explore the interiors of our country. Not too much of off-road though, but there is a lot of hilly terrain, bad roads and such.

For the THAR, I'm sure this is a song. Am worried about the ride and its effect on the passengers. I'm thinking of getting the ARC leaf springs, and get the seats replaced with something more ergonomic (say Scorpio or Honda City seats in the front and the existing front seats move back). The tryes would also have an A/T tag.

Thoughts ? Advice ?

MODS: Please move to an appropriate thread if this is not the right one. Thanks.

[BlackRaven]

I am in the US and looking to get a locker for my thar.

Could you suggest a good locker? I am fine with air lockers as well.

Is thar rear axle a Dana 44 30 spline?

[codelust]

Originally Posted by harikrishnanm

Me and three friends are planning on an India trip covering 7000 Kms over a month or so. Would the Thar be a good option to do this trip. Most of the roads are "not too great" since we want to really explore the interiors of our country. Not too much of off-road though, but there is a lot of hilly terrain, bad roads and such.

For the THAR, I'm sure this is a song. Am worried about the ride and its effect on the passengers. I'm thinking of getting the ARC leaf springs, and get the seats replaced with something more ergonomic (say Scorpio or Honda City seats in the front and the existing front seats move back). The tryes would also have an A/T tag.

Thoughts ? Advice ?

MODS: Please move to an appropriate thread if this is not the right one. Thanks.

Hi Hari,

Attempting to answer this since nobody's answered it so far and there is no off-topic infraction associated with it.

At 7K overall, you are looking at front-facing 2nd row seats for the Thar, unless the 3rd passenger is of mettle mostly unknown to us mortal beings.

You don't need CFL or anything similar to complete this trip. The stock ride in the rear is considerably more comfy than what I have seen in a Bolero or a Scorpio.

Unless you plan to do stints that are over 600 KMs without refuelling, the Thar should do quite well for your trip (depends also a lot on whether it is an AC or non-AC Thar). If you are a seasoned driver/traveller the vehicle is easily capable of doing an average of 350-500 KMs on a daily basis for at least 2-weeks without breaking a sweat.

What you'll have to compromise on:

1. Luggage space: Think of it as as mountaineering trip with 3-people on-board.

2. Exposure to the elements: Especially if you are in a soft top.

3. 3rd passenger discomfort: The vehicle is easily manageable with 2-people, with 3 on board, you'll have to rotate the second-seat duties, unless one person volunteers for the rear only in the 2nd row.

You'll also get more informative answers if you can provide more details.

Good luck,
Shyam

[madan80]

Originally Posted by harikrishnanm

Me and three friends are planning on an India trip covering 7000 Kms over a month or so. ....

one of the suggestions would be to look at putting in the innova captain seats (I think another forum member has done something similar) in the back- if it is well spaced out - you might have space for some luggage, but not much. Alternatively you would have to look at placing a carrier on top to hold the additional luggage. Given the soft top - i dont know how you can work it out.

Alternatively - i would recommend looking at a LWB vehicle esp for touring with 4 people - like a bolero or something.