[shreyasma]

Originally Posted by TheARUN

Today I came to the wrong side of the proverbial 'slip between the cup and the lip'

My Brother and myself went SAFARI hunting. We were in the market for a 98 model for under 2 lakhs.

We spotted a SAFARI near a dealers, walked in (incidentally the dealer sold a car to a friend of mine twice, but I never thought of searching with him)

It was a light blue one, Ocotober 00 model. Beige good quality art leather seats and good looks.

Walked in, and enquired about the price, was told it was 2,60,000. Straightaway offered the showroom lady 2,00,000. She said she will call the owner. Then waited there for about 90 minutes, when the owner finally came after saying will be there in 10 minutes for 60 minutes.

Showed me the documents. Told me that the vehicle was his friends' and that he was the third owner, had not transferred the vehicle onto his name, wanted to use it as transport between Bangalore and Mysore since he was a builder, then suddenly fell for the SCORPIO GETAWAY and bought 2 of them. The SAFARI had since become redundant and was put up for sale.

Missed something - while waiting for the owner to arrive, checked the vehicle, could not find anything amiss, no visibility of a shut, started the vehicle, it started beautifully and the engine noise was pure music to the ear.

Finally the time of reckoning arrived. Told the owners friend that was looking for one at 1,50,000 and the maximum I could stretch was 2 lakhs. Only condition was that I had to have it checked with my friends at PRERANA. He forced me to get the vehicle checked at PRERANA today itself, and wanted a commitment to buy from my side before we could discuss the rate. Thought that since he was keen on moving on after he knew that my maximum quote was 2 lakhs, was confident that the vehicle was in the bag.

They sent their driver with me and my brother to PRERANA and ask us to foot the diesel bill. I readily agreed and comandeered the SAFARI. First driving impressions - The seating position is awesome, towering over everyone else (my normal drive is a SIERRA). The power steering was so light and effortless, the vehicle was easily revving, and pulling like a locomotive when the throttle was floored, my smile was wiped off soon. The rear power windows were working only from the drivers side switches, the vehilce was smoking like a rocket when accelerated hard, the air-conditioner was blowing but no cool air was coming and 5th gear was not engaging. Sundry lights and switches were not working.

Filled up 200 rupees worth diesel and felt so comfortable driving the SAFARI. Later on let the driver drive and sat back to observe. The rear seat was really very spacious and the view was like a balcony through the front windshield. The vehicle had 92,000 on the odometer.

Reached PRERANA, the guys took it inside the worshop, was with them when they hoisted the vehicle on the ramp. Now the skeletons started tumbling out of the cupboard.

1. The vehicle had a major front left side shunt. It was visible in the detials, the nuts were different, the plastic cadding was not screwed in, the paint was touched up using a brush.
2. The chassis was welded and there was a slight bend in the chassis, not visible to my eye.
3. The turbocharger was leaking oil
4. The suspension bushes were worn out - but no immediate suspension work was needed
5. Both the rear tyres were being eaten from the insides
6. The radiator cover when opened spewed out coolant like a volcano - which meant that the radiator was blocked
7. The sump gasket was gone, leaking oil
8. The wheel bearings on the front were suspect.

Then came the small trial, with mechanic and service engineer in the front seats.

1. The vehicle was floaty
2. The turbocharger had a strange whine - 20,000 would be needed to repair the turbocharger
3. Pick-up was lacking.

Overall assessment - The vehicle was not too good and not too bad either. Was valued at 1,30,000, could be extended to 1,40,000 and if I paid 1,50,000 for it, I was a fool.

Went back to the dealer and broke the news to him as gently as possible. The dealer refused to sell it even at 1,50,000.

Walked away with a heavy heart, told the dealer that he could call anytime and I would be ready with a cheque.

Keeping my fingers crossed and waiting for the call.

My dilema:- I have 2 lakhs to dish out for the SAFARI, but don't want to be cheated.

Forced to wait for a sweeter deal

I know one of our members knows someone who's selling a safari 98'
this member is new and unable to post. I am doing it on his behalf.

I will PM you the details see if you get lucky

[srisha]

Arun,

I dont see a point in buying a 8-10 year old safari at that price, it will be more pain than pleasure maintaining. I am saying this from my experience of owning a 1998 safari for almost 18 months and selling it for 180,000. It started giving so many problems that I had to see her, I sold it 2 years back and here is the pic -

[TheARUN]

Originally Posted by srisha

Arun,

I dont see a point in buying a 8-10 year old safari at that price, it will be more pain than pleasure maintaining. I am saying this from my experience of owning a 1998 safari for almost 18 months and selling it for 180,000. It started giving so many problems that I had to see her, I sold it 2 years back and here is the pic -

Thank you so much for the insight. I know exactly what you mean, went through pretty much the same with my SIERRA, but the SAFARI is the only logical choice for me. Have a good realtionship with the TATA guys, and am willing to go through the grind, don't know. Maybe I'll change, maybe not, right now just dreaming of a SAFARI, even considering a brand new one

Hope I had bought your SAFARI

[TheARUN]

1999 Black 4x4

I'm now in no real hurry
To all jealous people a big sorry
Its not a cylce, car or lorry
It's the one and only TATA SAFARI

[raj_5004]

you are very very lucky arun, you got a well maintained safari. however, the bonnet scoop is spoiling the looks. have fun bro!

[TheARUN]

Originally Posted by raj_5004

you are very very lucky arun, you got a well maintained safari. however, the bonnet scoop is spoiling the looks. have fun bro!

I hate the bonnet scoop. Cursing the taste of the previous owner

I want to take it off, but don't want the vehicle looking worse than what it looks now. The sound deadening material is loose, so maybe the dude got it screwed in, which will leave a permanent hole on the bonnet

If it is stuck on, then maybe when peeled off the paint might get damaged or something like that. I don't have a clue as to how to take it off

[jkdas]

Congrats Arun. Loves the two headlamp ones. See if you can get 3.0's wheel cover.

[TheARUN]

Thanks JK,

Have been a fan of yours from a long time. Know about the SANTRO to SAFARI story, your vehicle in detail, and even the unfortunate incident which caused damage to the right side of your vehicle.

The tyres of my SAFARI are 15 inchers. I noticed it when I took a look at an old SAFARI. I thought the owner might have changed the tyre size, but then as I saw more and more SAFARIs, came to the conclusion that the pre-DICOR models were 15 inchers.

The DICOR spare wheel is made for 16 inchers, but since my vehicle has 15 inchers, I'm wondering if it would fit

Considering upgrading to 16 inchers with the LX SAFARI rims (They look almost like alloy wheels, and vehicles like the LAND ROVER DEFENDER, which are designed to go through hell, always have steel wheels. Alloys crack off road and are mainly for cars in my opinion), but am scared if they would start scraping and things like that.

[badboyscad]

Originally Posted by TheARUN

The DICOR spare wheel is made for 16 inchers, but since my vehicle has 15 inchers, I'm wondering if it would fit

The overall circumference Wheel/tyre combo is the same for both 15" & 16" types, so the DICOR spare wheel cover would fit easily.

[shreyasma]

Congrats!! Have fun man

[vedagiri1983]

Here it is ,
My SAFARI ..took a long time to get introduced due to some problems.anyways i would like to introduce myself to this thread which i have been checking from past 4 months.Finally with all the struggles here i am with my safari.Actually my friend who introduced me to this site has posted pics here on my behalf.But still would like to introduce some more of my "WHITE ELEPHANT"

[adc]

Been to the most remote part of Orissa, bordering Chattisgarh, these holidays, the Safari performed flawlessly. The remotest being the Sunabeda forests, we were literally travelling on the forest grasslands and over shrubs and small overgrowths, not even on forest dirt roads, - the sideboards and the engine guard was scrapped quite a few times.

Again a rock solid performance from this 2wd LX Safari VTT-TMT, the daily night safari in Sunabeda with a forest guard from 10 pm to 1 am being the best. Sighted quite a few animals[sambhar, chowsingha, deer, cheetah, wild bear, wild boar] among these two sanctuaries, but during dusk/night.

Still not a single issue with this first batch, first of the lot Safari 2.2 - still now it has not let us down [we and our small child] in those forests either in the day or at night - these places were so remote [some part were of Naxalite territory] it would have taken at least 3-4 days just to take the Safari out of the forests.

Anyway enough of eulogising, the pics now.

[raj_5004]

great great pics!
you truly NEED a safari.

[adc]

Originally Posted by raj_5004

great great pics!
you truly NEED a safari.

I truly miss a 4wd Safari, but then...

[ram.west]

@adc: you are the man mate!! You should have started your career on something regarding exploring mate, It would have helped you travel more!!!!! Great pics!!! And kudos for your family for being active in your endeavors!!

Cheers!!!