[KMT]

I used a 2012 Thar as a daily driver for 3-4 yrs and 60k odd kms.
Its a 2 seater as the back is uncomfy.
I still have it.

I have got a whole lot of minor mods done for performance, safety and comfort.

If you live in a city you need to protect against theft.

A used Thar is good cheap fun.

[alpha1]

Originally Posted by tilt

I do not know which generation of Thar the two of you drove; but I recently drove a 2018 Thar from Bangalore to Jaisalmer and back (2000 kms one way). Other than the flapping noise of the soft-top I did not find it even the least bit uncomfortable or back-breaking or tiring.

And 2000rpm, no issues with pickup (pretty decent, not a screamer, but not at all bad); handling, gear-shifting or steering. All of these were in my opinion on par with your Maruti 800 or even my old 2014 i20 Asta.

Please note, this comes from a man whose daily-driver is a 2015 facelifted Volkswagen Jetta TDI 2.0 with a DSG; a fully loaded car with electrically adjusted seats, climate control, power-everything; and someone who has done over 90000 kms in merely four years of ownership.

So, anyone who says a Thar cannot be a daily driver has not driven a recent model-year Thar.

Of course, it cannot be a daily-driver for someone who needs more than two seats on a regular basis, or someone whose cruising speeds are way higher than 120 kmph or someone who is an audiophile. For everyone else, there's absolutely no reason to say it cannot be a daily-driver.

Is there a negative in my opinion? Yes - if you have a soft-top, you'd better park your car where you can keep an eye on it while travelling, especially if you have luggage, because the car cannot be practically locked.
Cheers

I don't remember the exact model but should be earlier than 2015-16 era.
For me the turn-off thing was the noise and vibrations - nothing else except these two points.

Maybe this is because of it's body which doesn't have a rigid roof and hence flexes quite a lot. This flexing causes a lot of rattling at the doors - especially the rear gate (which rattle even more due to added mass of the stepney).

Flapping was not that big an issue because I didn't take the vehicle above 6-80 kmph at any time. Yes flapping also become irritating if you love high speeds.

But the noise and vibrations are the key reasons why I cannot use it as a daily drive.

[swami69]

Originally Posted by alpha1

I don't remember the exact model but should be earlier than 2015-16 era.
For me the turn-off thing was the noise and vibrations - nothing else except these two points.

Maybe this is because of it's body which doesn't have a rigid roof and hence flexes quite a lot. This flexing causes a lot of rattling at the doors - especially the rear gate (which rattle even more due to added mass of the stepney).

Flapping was not that big an issue because I didn't take the vehicle above 6-80 kmph at any time. Yes flapping also become irritating if you love high speeds.

But the noise and vibrations are the key reasons why I cannot use it as a daily drive.

There are ways to tame a Thar ! I recently bought a used Thar (2015 face lift) model, 2nd owner @ 34K kms in Chennai. When i test drove it, the sounds it made was terrifying (all sorts of noises, but i know that nothing were from any mechanicals !). The second owner held it only for 5 months and probably he got irritated by the noises and not knowing how to fix them. I bought it and quickly fixed up few things

• Tool box - this is the major culprit - wrap all the tools in foam, no metal to metal touching, place them back - 50% sound is gone
• Doors - add a piece of foam strip along the door inner side and also some rubber in the locking mechanism - more relief
• Rear door - add another strip of foam vertically near the door lock and more relief
• Then, tighten all the nuts on the canopy frame
• Grease the bonnet holder
• Check for speaker boxes hitting the metal
• Add a 6-8mm nitrile foam under the existing rubber mats all over

You will have a much pleasant ride.

Swami

[boniver]

Originally Posted by swami69

I recently bought a used Thar (2015 face lift) model, 2nd owner @ 34K kms in Chennai.

Apologies since this is off topic, but why did you sell your 2014 Thar only to purchase another used Thar now? I'm a huge Thar lover myself, but is the attraction to the car so solid that you couldn't live without owning one again once you had already experienced how it is to have a Thar?
Also, please share the financial hit (or gain) you incurred in the Thar deals, if you're comfortable. Thanks!

[crdi]

Originally Posted by swami69

There are ways to tame a Thar ! I recently bought a used Thar (2015 face lift) model, 2nd owner @ 34K kms in Chennai

Yet another repeat customer for the Thar! The vehicle surely holds a charm despite its leaks, creaks, rattles and other nuances. Doesn't matter even if it fits neither amongst the legendary jeeps of yore or the new badged ones from FCA. The Thar crde holds a place of its own.

Do you feel any perceivable difference in ride or performance when compared to your previous Thar?

[swami69]

Originally Posted by boniver

Apologies since this is off topic, but why did you sell your 2014 Thar only to purchase another used Thar now? I'm a huge Thar lover myself, but is the attraction to the car so solid that you couldn't live without owning one again once you had already experienced how it is to have a Thar?
Also, please share the financial hit (or gain) you incurred in the Thar deals, if you're comfortable. Thanks!

Sure, no issues. I bought my original Thar (new) in 2014, did a lot of small modifications DIY, put on 20K kms on it knowing very well i cannot use it for family purposes. But, I had a 12 year old Corolla which i used for family trips, which unfortunately went in 2015 floods at Chennai. I could recover it, but the confidence on using it for family trips faded. So, i wanted something for my family and had no choice other than selling the Thar since that will fetch me a price for a replacement (12 yr Corolla was not financially weighty). Hence with a very heavy heart i sold of my Thar for 7L in 2016 wherein i bought it for 8.5L in 2014. Even in that closing post of my previous thread i had mentioned that if i get a chance, i will buy one again - I love Thar.

Now that I have my new Amaze VCVT for family and also a Civic V AT (2007) for fun, i was looking for a used Thar and i got one for 5.75L, 2nd owner, 34K kms done, but was in excellent condition, with service records, HRS alloys, 245/70 R16 AT tyres, ARC shocks, ARC CFL springs and i went for it. Considering the new one is 11L +, i think mine was a descent price and a very good vehicle.

Originally Posted by crdi

Yet another repeat customer for the Thar! The vehicle surely holds a charm despite its leaks, creaks, rattles and other nuances. Doesn't matter even if it fits neither amongst the legendary jeeps of yore or the new badged ones from FCA. The Thar crde holds a place of its own.

Do you feel any perceivable difference in ride or performance when compared to your previous Thar?

Sure, there is some alignment done to the Driver Seat and the Steering, it is much more straighter and the seats are very comfortable. The dash board looks much better and the Canopy is taut. Otherwise, i do not see any difference from the previous gen i had on the mechanicals. Yes, there is this MLD, but yet to use it

To be very honest, my wife was the saddest person to let go of our earlier Thar as somehow she feels very joyous travelling in a Thar. My daughters too have started liking it much now after a gap of 3 years - perception and things change over time !

[damanbir]

My dad bought a used April 2013 Thar CRDe in Jan 2014 when it only had 6k Kilometers on it and a burnt clutch which was replaced the day the jeep came home.

The first owner was a youngster who got tired of it in 6 months. The car was fitted with 16inch Alloys and Nexen Roadian MT tyres and HELLA aux lights.

Yesterday I Clocked 70k Kilometers and the history is as below:

- The car was in Chandigarh from 2014-2018, where it clocked 55k kilometers.
- The jeep has never been for serious off roading.
- It was a daily driver for my mother, so it had been used gently.(Relatively).


In a city like Chandigarh where the roads are butter smooth, the Thar was an absolute pleasure to drive. The torque surge was extremely addictive.

It was never serviced at the Mahindra Dealership, just because there are so many skilled and specialized Mechanics in Chandigarh, one doesn't feel the need to take the car to the dealership and pay exorbitantly for labor charges and tax.

The Jeep has been religiously serviced every 7-8k Kms. Major repairs apart from regular services during these 4 years were:

1. Clutch Replacement @ 6k
2. Trans and Diff oil replaced @20k
3. EGR Cleaning @ 35k
4. Canopy Replaced @ 40k
5. Suspension mountings and bushings replacement along with tie rods @ 45k
6. Seal replacement due to leakage from Transmission @ 50k
7. Air intake hoses to and from Intercooler Replaced @ 55k

- In 2018, the jeep was driven down to Pune from Chandigarh by my parents, and at the end of it they were happy to get it off their hands and into mine, because the grueling flapping canopy and excessive MT tire road noise had deafened them in those 3 days, But it performed flawlessly in mechanical terms.

- I have since then clocked additional 15k kilometers, and my lack of knowledge of specialized jeep mechanics here in Pune, I have only taken it to the service center which has been a stressful experience. Over estimated and unnecessary repair suggestions have always made skeptical to go back.

- It has gone through some major repairs in Pune, and I'm still confused whether it is because of the pathetic roads or the age of the car.

1. Differential Oil Leakage @ 58k
2. High Pressure Pump leakage (O-rings and Seals replaced) @ 60k
3. Clutch Replacement @ 60k
4. Wiper Motor Replacement @ 60k
5. Link rods and related bushes @70k
6. Stabalizer bar bushes @70k
7. Rear Drum Brake Cylinders @70k

I have been getting this grinding underbody noise for the last couple of months, it is intermittent in nature and on my 70k service the advisor said that there is play in the propeller shaft, and will need replacement soon. That could be the route cause of the sound.

I am on the lookout for a good specialized mechanic to whom I can refer as a second opinion. If any one has suggestions please let me know.

As far as the rattlings and sounds from the body go, I have found the best solution to be a good audio setup . I am currently running Coaxials and a 10" Sub from Focal Auditor series along with a Focal Amp. Does a decent job to help me ignore the "JEEP" noises.

For sound insulation I have done the following and has helped insulate quitre a bit of noise:

1. High Density Foam under the bonnet
2. Damp Matts under the dashboard
3. Damp mats on the driver and codriver side body floor
4. 2 layers of Mats

Owning the Thar is an exciting experience, the command one gets on driving is so satisfying, but it comes with its niggles and concerns as mentioned above. Coming to think of it, it has gone for repairs way too often, but honestly it is all worth the feeling of driving a "JEEP".

[amol4184]

Is it still worth buying previous gen Thar now that 2020 model is out? To my surprise, older ones are still going for a hefty price- the ones from 2017-18 are all 9lac + around, some asking more than 10l. 2015-16 ones around 7.5l. Is that a good price or overpriced?