Originally Posted by Kosfactor (Post 4963189)

If you are looking at buying a used Gypsy , restoring it and use it as a recreational off-road vehicle , daily drive in a small town or farm (no load), please go ahead - keep us posted.

Restore = full OE spec restoration. Worth it. You should start with a less abused one , preferably privately owned and used in town/city.

Originally Posted by wbd8779 (Post 4963221)

A restored Gypsys cost will be equal to the 1st year depreciation of your New Thar AT.


Yes there are compromises - Some major ones like the ride , but try to keep it simple , PS , AC and nice shocks by Dr nano , OME or Amada will go a long way to make it habitable .
.

Originally Posted by prajnya (Post 4963253)

:thumbs up

Hi WBD,
Can i know more about the suspension upgrade your personal views and suggestions?
Do i need to change the leaf springs or dampers?
or changing both together is advisable?

Originally Posted by prajnya (Post 4962977)

I would like to have a look at it.
I'm still a newbie so I don't have access to PM.

Originally Posted by prajnya (Post 4962090)

Mods please merge this with an existing thread if there is one.

I presently have a booking for Thar LX HT Diesel AT and the delivery promised is in march/April 2021.
Last month I drove 3 gypsy’s (410, 410W and 413W Mpfi) back to back on a vacation at a forest resort owned by the owner. The experience turned out to be very impressive......

I have shortlisted 2 options and my preference would be the first one-
1. Used Gypsy + Use the saved money on the Octavia upgrade
2. Buy the Thar and delay the Octavia upgrade

I have always loved to own a gypsy since my childhood. Since this purchase is completely ruled by the heart, it is tilted towards the gypsy.
Even if I have to sell it after a couple of years, the depreciation wont pinch me like the Thar would do.

Ps:
1. I am ready to face issues that crop up with the gypsy since it won’t be my primary car.
2. I am used to driving a MM CL500 di, so Jeep/Gypsy is not completely a new experience and can live with it.
3. It will be used for short distances and I’m not really worried about gizmos.

Thanks,
Prajnya.

Originally Posted by Spyder (Post 4964476)

Have friends who swear by the Gypsy, even though it's not the best.

Have you considered a Mahindra Bolero. It's supposed to be a good 4x4 vehicle for the farm and transporting items to and fro - either the pickup or the suv variant. And very well priced too.

Originally Posted by fjcruiser08 (Post 4964487)

I am with GTO on this one. The Gypsy doesnt make sense. Why not look into a third option?

Stick with the new Thar and also get a small trailer that you can tow with the Thar when needed to haul stuff. You will need a hitch receiver on the Thar and can hook up the trailer when needed. I was actually researching this option but looks like not many people use trailers with their SUVs in India. It seems that they are used in Punjab and there are some manufacturers that will make custom trailers based on your requirements. There are some videos on youtube you may wanna check out (search for 'jeep trolley', they dont call them trailers).

I was actually thinking of buying a junk gypsy, and I mean scrap metal grade basically, and tearing it down and build a short single axle trailer out of its frame. I am not sure how feasible this is, but am exploring it nevertheless; just need to find a junk grade gypsy in the Pune area.

If anyone has any inputs/suggestions on this, please do let me know.

Originally Posted by prajnya (Post 4964554)

I am looking at a smaller SUV with which i can also start doing some recreational off roading.
I am not really keen on a older gen diesel manual mainly due to the harsh NVH and heavy clutch.

Originally Posted by prajnya (Post 4962090)

Last couple of weeks I have been trying to research on picking up a ex army gypsy and getting it restored. I have spoken to a few people and got some contacts of known/ reliable guys who do the job.

Originally Posted by prajnya (Post 4962090)

My plan was that the Thar could be my daily drive in the Bangalore and also use it to transport materials to/from our farm 30kms away from the city.

Originally Posted by Kosfactor (Post 4964568)

If your query was more open ended, Bolero Power+ is the obvious choice. It's sub4M , very light controls including clutch, quiet
cabin, comfortable seats and it's still a Bolero.

Originally Posted by ph03n!x (Post 4964814)

You're better off with a V-Cross for this alone, even if pre-owned - which would cost you 10 to 14 lakhs. Of course, a Thar is within this range, but I don't think it'll serve your primary purpose as well a V-Cross would.

Originally Posted by superbad (Post 4964746)

Army auctioned gypsys are thoroughly used/abused (thus necessitating auction in the first place). They have usually run lakhs of Km, changed multiple engines, survived innumerable repairs, major components overhaul etc. Buying one & restoring will entail similar cost as getting a good pre owned gypsy. Thus, you should consider buying one from the civil market instead of from the army.