[wbd8779]

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

As someone who has done 3 complete gypsy rebuilds over the past 15 years ( 4th one is ongoing ) there is no greater satisfaction than building and enjoying the timeless and simple machine that a Gypsy is .

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 .

The G13B is a gem , yes its archaic compared top modern motors , but it's a very reliable power plant .

[prajnya]

Originally Posted by Kosfactor

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.

Kosfactor,
the gypsy will be used exactly as you mentioned.
maximum load carried will be 4-6 crates of fruits/veggies or some hand operated machines and tool. we carry 2 crates without any problem in my polo now.
The total weight would be alot lesser that what 6 people would normally weigh.

i have not seen any newer private vehicles for sale around Bangalore. i somehow feel that it would be better to fully restore a 2010-12 army vehicle instead of paying the same price to a 1998-2005 privately vehicle.

All the private vehicles demand more for modifications like huge tyres, AC and PS which i really dont require.

[Sreesh1009]

Go for the Thar. It's miles ahead of the Gypsy. You can keep it for longer and it is a much safer option as well. The amount of time and money spent in restoring the Gypsy is better spent on the Thar (could be much lesser).

[prajnya]

Originally Posted by wbd8779

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 .
.

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?

[wbd8779]

Originally Posted by prajnya

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?

Hi
Change the Leafs to CFL , with complimenting shocks . Do not oversize the tyres beyond 215 to keep the steering manageable (205 is best for Non power steering Gypsy)

Rest of the stuff only upgrade with time , seats , carpeting , AC and all can be done when you are more comfortable with the base vehicle.

My view has been always to achieve a level of mechanical finesse , before going after mods.

[cool_dube]

Originally Posted by prajnya

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

Please drop me your coordinates at cool_dube@yahoo.com

[cpbopanna]

Originally Posted by prajnya

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.

My friend has a fully-restored 2005 Model Gypsy King 413W up for sale - please check out the attached pictures!

He is the third owner and he completed the restoration a month ago.
It has been restored to stock condition except for the addition of Power Steering and an Air Conditioner

In case you are interested, please WhatsApp me on 98458-31691
The vehicle is registered and based at Bangalore!

[Spyder]

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.

[fjcruiser08]

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.

[prajnya]

Originally Posted by Spyder

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.

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 fjcruiser08

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.

trailer would be too much for our requirement. it will not be easy to maneuver till we get a hang of how the trailer behaves.
We will need to carry around 4-6 crates in the below picture. we could have done it in the new thar by removing the rear seats.
The floor of the new Thar is not flat like the previous gen thar or gypsy which will be a hindrance to carry these crates. .

[Kosfactor]

Originally Posted by prajnya

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.

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.

[landcruiser123]

YOLO man - get a Gypsy.

As long as you're ready to spend some time & effort in maintenance, get the Gypsy. You did mention that you know a mechanic, so that is half the problem solved there.

Restoring the 4x4 is going to take time. If you don't need it, stick to 2WD.

[superbad]

Originally Posted by prajnya

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.

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.

[ph03n!x]

Originally Posted by prajnya

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.

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.

[prajnya]

Originally Posted by Kosfactor

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.

Bolero is certainly a good vehicle but im not interested in buying it.

New one costs 10.XX lakhs in bangalore and if im paying that much, i would rather buy the Thar .
I only need 2 seats at the most with option of side facing seats (if available) for a rare occasion.

Originally Posted by ph03n!x

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.

i have an eye on the VCross. The Pre Owned one have high running which im not comfortable with.
Length is the only thing which is putting me off. i feel it would be very difficult to handle.

Originally Posted by superbad

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.

The civilian ones with huge tyres and other modifications would that also gone thru the same amount of stress at the army ones.

I agree with your point that buying and restoring will cost similar to buying pre owned or maybe even more.
At least i will be confident that the mechanicals are in good order with brand new parts if i get it restored.