[Rayden]

Ive always loved the way the old Safari looks. IMO, it looks better than the new DICOR (barring the VX) or the Scorpio. It's suspension in great too.

I dont need great pickup (which the Scorpio CRDE or the DICOR have), but I need good ride quality, and reasonable mileage ( around 10 ).
I also need the brute appeal .

Used Safaris (03,04 models) are available for 5-5.5 lac. Do you think it is a good choice because I get to save aroung 3 lac over the new ones.

I especially need the opinions of DICOR and CRDE owners who have also driven the old Safari and old Safari owners too.

[zulfikar]

hi dude,
as far i heard Safari is VERY heavy on ur pocket...
think about it before jumping to any thing...

[zulfikar]

but yes the car it good looking better than the latest safari...
i also wanted to take one but due to maintanence i backed off...
there was a 2000 safari in hyd for 2.25L 3 months back...

[Rayden]

How do you say it is expensive to maintain?
Is it the mileage of the service and spares?

Probably Steeroid or any other Safari owner can elucidate.

[Steeroid]

Originally Posted by Rayden

How do you say it is expensive to maintain?
Is it the mileage of the service and spares?

Probably Steeroid or any other Safari owner can elucidate.

I havent owned one long enough to talk about cost of maintenance. My car is under bumper-to-bumper warranty for 4 long years so its unlikely that I will be able to provide you any such figure in the near future, either.

What I HAVE replaced are the sidesteps (or running boards or whatever you want to call them). I replaced the Dicor's plastic-cladded-steel-pipe running boards with the aluminium running boards from the old Safari because I ripped the plastic in a 'race' with a tractor. That cost me Rs.2,340/- installation charges were like 100 bucks or something similar.

I think you should direct this question at TBHP member SUV who owns the old model Safari, though I think he's under warranty too. Better still, ask veyron1 who had an old Safari for a long time.

[Rayden]

Originally Posted by Steeroid

I havent owned one long enough to talk about cost of maintenance. My car is under bumper-to-bumper warranty for 4 long years so its unlikely that I will be able to provide you any such figure in the near future, either.

I think you should direct this question at TBHP member SUV who owns the old model Safari, though I think he's under warranty too. Better still, ask veyron1 who had an old Safari for a long time.

Yeah, Ill do that.
How do you compare the ride quality of the Safari and the Innova?

One more thing, because the seats have not changed, how are the last pair of seats of your DICOR, are they comfortable for short rides atleast?

[Steeroid]

Originally Posted by Rayden

Yeah, Ill do that.
How do you compare the ride quality of the Safari and the Innova?

One more thing, because the seats have not changed, how are the last pair of seats of your DICOR, are they comfortable for short rides atleast?

The Safari is more comfortable to travel in, though it does bounce you about a bit at low speeds. The Innova is more car-like - you really cant compare the two. At high speeds the Innova's handling would be more predictable while the Dicor's handling takes some getting used to initially.

I dont use the last pair of seats - in fact one of them has been taken off to mount the sub in that space. We've used those seats just once to seat adults when there were about 9 adults packed into the vehicle - nobody would complain about comfort in such a situation. That said, those seats fold away neatly without intruding into the luggage area at all.

[directinjection]

Originally Posted by Rayden

Ive always loved the way the old Safari looks. IMO, it looks better than the new DICOR (barring the VX) or the Scorpio. It's suspension in great too.

I dont need great pickup (which the Scorpio CRDE or the DICOR have), but I need good ride quality, and reasonable mileage ( around 10 ).
I also need the brute appeal .

Used Safaris (03,04 models) are available for 5-5.5 lac. Do you think it is a good choice because I get to save aroung 3 lac over the new ones.

I especially need the opinions of DICOR and CRDE owners who have also driven the old Safari and old Safari owners too.

If it's only the looks that prompt you to go in for the old Safari, then, I would strongly advise against it. You can easily change the bumper, grill and lights of the new Safari DICOR with those of the old one and restore the old looks. If the reason is economics, then, it's a different matter altogether. Apart from being sluggish, the old Safari had a horrible gearbox which produced a whining, irritating sound all the time even when the vehicle was brand new. It also emitted a smokey exhaust.

[veyron1]

Well hello, Rayden. Firstly, do you need a 4x2 or a 4x4? Because it seems that you might not need a 4x4; at least that's what your criteria tells me. If you manage to get a 05 EX 4x2 for around 6, I would say it's a good deal, and you can definitely go for it.

I have owned a 4x4, so my "relative maintenance" was slightly more; here's how-I had to replace the front auto-lock hubs and front differential ring-and-pinion gear set once, because I wore them out. And that's the MOST maintenance I have had to bear. Rest all were okay, except the a/c was not as effective as one would imagine. But the EX's from 01' have roof-mounted blowers which have this problem curbed.

Maintenance-wise, a 2WD safari is as expensive to maintain as any other car. The suspension needs to be overhauled at 40,000 kms (bushings, torsion bar mountings,etc.), the turbo needs to be serviced at 80,000, the F.I.P needs to be looked into after 60,000, tyres need to be replaced at about 40,000etc. Nothing much. The service costs of safari, surprisingly, are really low. The spares are not that expensive either- consider this; the front suspension lower arm of the scorpio costs about 3500; the safari's lower arm costs about 4200 (last time I checked); I'm quoting this just as an example.

Expect about 10-11 kmpl from the 4x2, under highway driving. About 9 kmpl in city, with a/c. Try to get a 04'+ model, as it can meet the EURO-III emissions with minimal alterations.

[SUV]

@rayden .. Sorry for the delay in my response / post .. Kinda Tied up ..

Safari is a Good Buy if you are Looking @ a SUV. But dont expect the maintianence to be like a CAR. SUV's are SUV's and Car's are CAR's ...

The Reason's are something to do with the Perception in general
SUV's Can Take anything ... True !! It can take it more than a CAR and will need More Maintainence if you want it to keep taking it ...:-)

Now Coming to the Maintainence :

The perception Holds true for Mech's as well - These guy's think its not required to Change the Filter's at specific Interval's, Grease Joints etc .. "CHALEGA SAAB BADI GAADI HAI !!!!" This is the standard i have heard from most of the Mech's ..

Caring for your SUV ----- Find a Mech who can spend time with you and do the Job. Not Someone who whisk's your vehicle away does nothing....

Regular Oil and Filter Change's - I Suggest you get this done before your EYE's.

Greabox Oil - Change em every 10k KM. It will keep the Gearbox whine / Tata's Mrching Noice down.

Transmission - Change every 25K Km.

Wheel Hub Greasin - Do this every 20 - 25K KM. TASC's Charge you extra for this.... Hard Labor you SEE :-) Have to remove all the Wheel's.

Drive Shaft Greasing - Disconnect from Transmission End and Grease DO NOT USE THE GREASING NIPPLE.

Exhaust - If you drive in Bumper to Bumper Traffic, Carbon gets deposited in the Muffler etc .. Rev the Engine when Hot to about 3k + RPM for couple of Seconds or more till such time you dont see much of
Carbon Deposits being spewed out ... Do this Once a week or 10 Day's. You should see a lot of Carbon Coming out .. This is stated in the Owner's Manual !!.

Suspension - Never have anybody Change / Adjust the Hight of the Vehicle. Even if you need to do it look for a FLAT Surface and have this Adjusted. Never put it the Wheel Alingment bay when doing this !!!....

Follow regular Service Schedule Strictly (not just leaving it for service) and you have nothing to worry about. If you are buying a Second Hand then Buy the best example you can get preferably Post 2001 / 02.

PS : Last Service i had Engine Oil Seeping out of the Head Cover. I didnt have time to stand and get the Oil Changed and as suspected the Oil Filter wasnt changed and all the 8 ltr's of Oil i gave them was in the Engine + the 500 Ml from the Old Filter left behind.

[SUV]

@Veyron1 - Most of the Figure's you have reported seems to be pre 2000 Model's.

TURBO - The Turbo they used were from Turbo Energy (KKK) which i guess were not designed for Indian Condition's. Post 2001 - 02 they have changed to Tata Holset.

PS : Indica's still use KKK

Tyre Change - Take a Look @ the PIC in MY TBH Garage and Guess how much they have Done ;-) Tyre wear is not the Vehicles Fault ...These might be True for the OEM Bridgestone's. The Last Set of Yoko's i used lasted 70K KM. Yoko's (Tubeless) and Bridgestones (Tube) cost the same.

F.I.P - So very True for TVS (now delphi) Equipped Model's. Mico / Bosch dont have this Problem and the engine is quieter as well.

A/C - Post 2002 - 03 this was solved by using a Single Larger Condensor unit (even on the Current LX). Earlier they had 2 Small Condesor's - One between the Radiator and the Front Grill, the other behind the front Bumper. Rear AC did have Piping Issue's (running under the vehilce) which was solved by relocating / securing it from enviroment damage's.

[Rayden]

Originally Posted by directinjection

If it's only the looks that prompt you to go in for the old Safari, then, I would strongly advise against it. You can easily change the bumper, grill and lights of the new Safari DICOR with those of the old one and restore the old looks. If the reason is economics, then, it's a different matter altogether. Apart from being sluggish, the old Safari had a horrible gearbox which produced a whining, irritating sound all the time even when the vehicle was brand new. It also emitted a smokey exhaust.

Guys is this true? Yeah even I have heard of the grating sound of the Safari gearbox.

And is 5 lac for a 03 Safari EX a good deal?

[SUV]

Techincally Modification to the New Look is possible. Considering the economics its your Call.

@ DirectInjection - The gearbox is the Same for Both DICOR & TCIC (old). G76-5/3.87. And the Marching Noise IS NOT ELIMINATED. Its reduced using Dual Synchro's from 2004 Onward's.

5 lac's for a Well Maintianed Safari 03 ex 4x4 is good value depending on
1. How well is it Mainained ?
2. Service Record
3. Condition of the Tyre's

Preferably Buy a Safari which has Mico / Bosch Injection. If you check the Fuel Filter you would know what FIP it has.

[aadix]

hey bro

thought i cant tell u in detail

here's my thoughts

1. maintance is cheaper, but running cost are high say as compared to a qualis

2> resale is really low

in hyd i am not getting even 2 lacs for my 99 model 4X4,which is in a really good condtion

[Rayden]

It seems that because there have been continuous modifications to the Safari, The later the model, the better. I think post 2004, there have not been major modifications to the Safari.

What kind of mileage do you think it will give in the city and highway?