Restored Gypsy vs New Thar

prajnya · 24th December 2020, 13:37

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.

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.

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. But the insides of the Thar don’t seem to look like it will help in transporting any stuff even with the rear seats removed. This has made me think twice on going ahead with the Thar.

We currently own 2015 Skoda Octavia, 2017 Polo GT Tsi, 2011 Nissan Micra Dci.
Our plan was to upgrade the Octavia and sell the Micra next year.

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.

Engine_Roars · 24th December 2020, 14:18

I think this is a no brainer if you can find a good gypsy, that is. As you mentioned, Thar won't serve the purpose & since you have always wanted to own a Gypsy, I would say now is the time to fulfill that dream & even if we keep your "dream" out of this equation, with your use case, Gypsy makes more sense.

cool_dube · 24th December 2020, 16:39

If you intend to use the vehicle as your daily drive, think twice about the Gypsy. Add to it the very slim chances of getting hold of a good pre-owned one, with clean papers. Agree that the new Thar will not serve your purpose of hauling stuff, which the Gypsy would, though.

How about a pre-owned, well maintained, previous gen Thar? I am sure there will be quite a few for sale now, given that many owners would be "upgrading" to the new Thar. It has decent daily-driver traits. Just chuck those rear benches away and you have enough hauling space too.

dhanushs · 24th December 2020, 17:31

It’s not really a fair comparison. The New Thar VS Gypsy. Comparing the Gypsy to the old Thar, may be.. rare case. But new Thar? Not fair.

The decision to buy a Gypsy is purely made by the heart. The ride quality sucks and it’s such a bad vehicle to drive everyday, but somehow, it strikes the right cords in your heart.

If you have enough money to rule over the logical part of the brain to satisfy the emotional part go for it.

This is me speaking after owning a New’ish Gypsy MPFi with all the bells and whistles for comfort and practicality.

Jaguar · 24th December 2020, 17:42

Looks like your heart is set on the gypsy and just want reassurance from the community, or excuses to convince the family

The prices of the used gypsy's in Bangalore are eyewatering. If you have the money and just want a play toy for a couple of year's use, get the gypsy. Practically, the Thar makes more sense. Maybe a base variant AX soft top?

GTO · 24th December 2020, 17:47

Please do NOT buy an army Gypsy and restore it. Trust me as someone who has restored a 4x4. It is not for everyone. There is a lot of headache & time investment, both at the time of rebuilding and later. If you absolutely love the Gypsy and want to buy one, get the newest & best example available in the used market. Don't buy a junk Gypsy and try to restore it.

In my opinion, the 2020 Thar is far, far superior to the Gypsy. Better ride (Gypsy is too bumpy), better engines (Gypsy's 1.3L n/a is a vintage relic by current standards), superior cabin, way better road manners, safety etc. I cannot think of a single area where the Gypsy is better.

If the Gypsy is cheaper, there is a reason for that. If the Thar is more expensive, there is good reason for that too. There are some nice 3 - 4 year old Gypsys on classifieds websites, if that's the model pulling the strings to your heart. Buy something in good condition that doesn't need a rebuild.

prajnya · 24th December 2020, 18:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by dhanushs

It’s not really a fair comparison. The New Thar VS Gypsy. Comparing the Gypsy to the old Thar, may be.. rare case. But new Thar? Not fair.

The decision to buy a Gypsy is purely made by the heart. The ride quality sucks and it’s such a bad vehicle to drive everyday, but somehow, it strikes the right cords in your heart.

If you have enough money to rule over the logical part of the brain to satisfy the emotional part go for it.

This is me speaking after owning a New’ish Gypsy MPFi with all the bells and whistles for comfort and practicality.

Dhanush,
I agree with you that is not a fair comparison. im not trying to compare both of them head on.
My plan is to add better seats and suspension and try to make it a little better in terms of comfort.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jaguar

Looks like your heart is set on the gypsy and just want reassurance from the community, or excuses to convince the family

The prices of the used gypsy's in Bangalore are eyewatering. If you have the money and just want a play toy for a couple of year's use, get the gypsy. Practically, the Thar makes more sense. Maybe a base variant AX soft top?

Jaguar,
Yes, heart is set on the gypsy. Family is also convinced because my mom can get her farm work done and wife is happy that our dog, a mudhol hound is too tall to travel in our cars and will be more comfortable in the gypsy.

Not really keen on the AX Thar. Family wont allow me to buy an MT if its going to be the new Thar and i would also prefer the bells and whistles.

Quote:

Originally Posted by GTO

Please do NOT buy an army Gypsy and restore it. Trust me as someone who has restored a 4x4. It is not for everyone. There is a lot of headache & time investment, both at the time of rebuilding and later. If you absolutely love the Gypsy and want to buy one, get the newest & best example available in the used market. Don't buy a junk Gypsy and try to restore it.

In my opinion, the 2020 Thar is far, far superior to the Gypsy. Better ride (Gypsy is too bumpy), better engines (Gypsy's 1.3L n/a is a vintage relic by current standards), superior cabin, way better road manners, safety etc. I cannot think of a single area where the Gypsy is better.

If the Gypsy is cheaper, there is a reason for that. If the Thar is more expensive, there is good reason for that too. There are some nice 3 - 4 year old Gypsys on classifieds websites, if that's the model pulling the strings to your heart. Buy something in good condition that doesn't need a rebuild.

GTO,
i agree that is is not going to be easy rebuilding a car. i restored a Suzuki Shogun which is my first bike a couple of years ago and it took a lot of time, headache. I'm ready to try my hand on the gypsy too.

The gypsy's on the classifieds are either in bad shape which needs a rebuild or they are modified too much for my taste. much with huge tyres, Power steering and other stuff. All of them quote exorbitant prices here in Bangalore.

Off topic- Before and after picture of my Shogun.

Fully dismantled

work in progress

Nearing Completion

Restored Gypsy vs New Thar-img_1497-2.jpg

DLC5005 · 24th December 2020, 19:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by cool_dube

How about a pre-owned, well maintained, previous gen Thar? I am sure there will be quite a few for sale now, given that many owners would be "upgrading" to the new Thar. It has decent daily-driver traits.

+1
A very good suggestion,cool_dube.

I was about to suggest the same.

Quote:

Originally Posted by prajnya

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

Hi Prajnya,
Why not add one more option ?
A pre owned previous gen Thar !

As Cool_dube said, it will meet your requirements better compared to gypsy.

I feel, getting a good old gypsy, transferring and then modifying it is too much of hassle.
Instead, getting a Thar will be more beneficial and of less trouble. Since, you will be able to get newer models, diesel engine, factory fit AC and power steering.

Anyhow you are not worried about gizmos and resale value, so it just fits in right between your choices of old Gypsy and new Thar.

Regards,
Chandan

Capt.Arun · 24th December 2020, 19:47

Hi Prajnya!

I would second DLC5005's thought process here.

The previous gen Thar would be the perfect fit in your case. The All new Thar and the variant of your choice LX HT Diesel AT is a far cry from the Gypsy. Should you have booked the AX prior discontinuation, then this would have been a bigger dilemma than it already is.
Request you to consider prodding the used car arena for some nearly new Thar Crde's and redirect the rest of the funds towards an Octavia upgrade.

prajnya · 25th December 2020, 16:10

Somehow i am not attracted towards the Old Thar. Heavy clutch that is present in the Diesel + MT combo is my main concern.
I prefer the Bare bones gypsy or the new Thar AT with all the gizmos.
i will mostly not even install AC or PS in the Gypsy.

cool_dube · 25th December 2020, 21:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by prajnya

I prefer the Bare bones gypsy or the new Thar AT with all the gizmos. i will mostly not even install AC or PS in the Gypsy.

Please PM me if you have finalized on the Gypsy. I have a pal who is interested in selling his hard-top.

prajnya · 25th December 2020, 22:13

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

Cessna182 · 26th December 2020, 05:32

Adding to your dilemma- have you considered a used Fortuner? Older models would cost you less than a base Thar.
In the offroading channel run by Anshuman Bishnoi on YouTube, many cars are featured but the best performing ones offroad are the Fortuner and VCross.

prajnya · 26th December 2020, 11:33

i did look at pre owned Fortuners. i was looking at cars with maximum 80K kms on the odo. The 4X4 models had very high running and asking prices.
I dont see a point in going for a 4X2 since i want to start with some basic off roading.

i watch the the videos on Anshuman's channel, it has increased my want for a 4X4.

VCross is my favorite 4X4 but i feel its length will be very difficult to handle.
Im tired of seeing the "Coming Soon" on their official webpage.

Kosfactor · 26th December 2020, 13:27

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.

Thar 2020 is the most modern 2 door Jeep available, sure it's not as utilitarian as the CRDe and you will refuse to dump a bag of manure in the back.

24th December 2020, 13:37	#1
prajnya BHPian Join Date: Oct 2020 Location: Bangalore Posts: 36 Thanked: 81 Times	Restored Gypsy vs New Thar 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. 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. 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. But the insides of the Thar don’t seem to look like it will help in transporting any stuff even with the rear seats removed. This has made me think twice on going ahead with the Thar. We currently own 2015 Skoda Octavia, 2017 Polo GT Tsi, 2011 Nissan Micra Dci. Our plan was to upgrade the Octavia and sell the Micra next year. 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.
	(13) Thanks

24th December 2020, 14:18	#2
Engine_Roars BHPian Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: Pune Posts: 417 Thanked: 2,540 Times	re: Restored Gypsy vs New Thar I think this is a no brainer if you can find a good gypsy, that is. As you mentioned, Thar won't serve the purpose & since you have always wanted to own a Gypsy, I would say now is the time to fulfill that dream & even if we keep your "dream" out of this equation, with your use case, Gypsy makes more sense.
	(14) Thanks

24th December 2020, 16:39	#3
cool_dube Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Bangalore Posts: 2,649 Thanked: 4,538 Times	re: Restored Gypsy vs New Thar If you intend to use the vehicle as your daily drive, think twice about the Gypsy. Add to it the very slim chances of getting hold of a good pre-owned one, with clean papers. Agree that the new Thar will not serve your purpose of hauling stuff, which the Gypsy would, though. How about a pre-owned, well maintained, previous gen Thar? I am sure there will be quite a few for sale now, given that many owners would be "upgrading" to the new Thar. It has decent daily-driver traits. Just chuck those rear benches away and you have enough hauling space too. Last edited by cool_dube : 24th December 2020 at 16:55.
	(15) Thanks

24th December 2020, 17:31	#4
dhanushs Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Chennai Posts: 4,282 Thanked: 10,180 Times	re: Restored Gypsy vs New Thar It’s not really a fair comparison. The New Thar VS Gypsy. Comparing the Gypsy to the old Thar, may be.. rare case. But new Thar? Not fair. The decision to buy a Gypsy is purely made by the heart. The ride quality sucks and it’s such a bad vehicle to drive everyday, but somehow, it strikes the right cords in your heart. If you have enough money to rule over the logical part of the brain to satisfy the emotional part go for it. This is me speaking after owning a New’ish Gypsy MPFi with all the bells and whistles for comfort and practicality.
	(13) Thanks

24th December 2020, 17:42	#5
Jaguar Senior - BHPian Join Date: May 2006 Location: Bangalore Posts: 1,208 Thanked: 2,547 Times	re: Restored Gypsy vs New Thar Looks like your heart is set on the gypsy and just want reassurance from the community, or excuses to convince the family The prices of the used gypsy's in Bangalore are eyewatering. If you have the money and just want a play toy for a couple of year's use, get the gypsy. Practically, the Thar makes more sense. Maybe a base variant AX soft top?
	(4) Thanks

24th December 2020, 17:47	#6
GTO Team-BHP Support Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Bombay Posts: 70,534 Thanked: 300,737 Times View My Garage	re: Restored Gypsy vs New Thar Please do NOT buy an army Gypsy and restore it. Trust me as someone who has restored a 4x4. It is not for everyone. There is a lot of headache & time investment, both at the time of rebuilding and later. If you absolutely love the Gypsy and want to buy one, get the newest & best example available in the used market. Don't buy a junk Gypsy and try to restore it. In my opinion, the 2020 Thar is far, far superior to the Gypsy. Better ride (Gypsy is too bumpy), better engines (Gypsy's 1.3L n/a is a vintage relic by current standards), superior cabin, way better road manners, safety etc. I cannot think of a single area where the Gypsy is better. If the Gypsy is cheaper, there is a reason for that. If the Thar is more expensive, there is good reason for that too. There are some nice 3 - 4 year old Gypsys on classifieds websites, if that's the model pulling the strings to your heart. Buy something in good condition that doesn't need a rebuild.
	(38) Thanks

24th December 2020, 19:47	#9
Capt.Arun BHPian Join Date: Dec 2020 Location: At sea Posts: 34 Thanked: 129 Times	Re: Restored Gypsy vs New Thar Hi Prajnya! I would second DLC5005's thought process here. The previous gen Thar would be the perfect fit in your case. The All new Thar and the variant of your choice LX HT Diesel AT is a far cry from the Gypsy. Should you have booked the AX prior discontinuation, then this would have been a bigger dilemma than it already is. Request you to consider prodding the used car arena for some nearly new Thar Crde's and redirect the rest of the funds towards an Octavia upgrade.
	() Thanks

25th December 2020, 16:10	#10
prajnya BHPian Join Date: Oct 2020 Location: Bangalore Posts: 36 Thanked: 81 Times	Re: Restored Gypsy vs New Thar Somehow i am not attracted towards the Old Thar. Heavy clutch that is present in the Diesel + MT combo is my main concern. I prefer the Bare bones gypsy or the new Thar AT with all the gizmos. i will mostly not even install AC or PS in the Gypsy.
	(3) Thanks

25th December 2020, 22:13	#12
prajnya BHPian Join Date: Oct 2020 Location: Bangalore Posts: 36 Thanked: 81 Times	Re: Restored Gypsy vs New Thar I would like to have a look at it. I'm still a newbie so I don't have access to PM.
	() Thanks

26th December 2020, 05:32	#13
Cessna182 BHPian Join Date: Jun 2018 Location: Nil Posts: 350 Thanked: 2,252 Times	Re: Restored Gypsy vs New Thar Adding to your dilemma- have you considered a used Fortuner? Older models would cost you less than a base Thar. In the offroading channel run by Anshuman Bishnoi on YouTube, many cars are featured but the best performing ones offroad are the Fortuner and VCross.
	() Thanks

26th December 2020, 11:33	#14
prajnya BHPian Join Date: Oct 2020 Location: Bangalore Posts: 36 Thanked: 81 Times	Re: Restored Gypsy vs New Thar i did look at pre owned Fortuners. i was looking at cars with maximum 80K kms on the odo. The 4X4 models had very high running and asking prices. I dont see a point in going for a 4X2 since i want to start with some basic off roading. i watch the the videos on Anshuman's channel, it has increased my want for a 4X4. VCross is my favorite 4X4 but i feel its length will be very difficult to handle. Im tired of seeing the "Coming Soon" on their official webpage.
	(3) Thanks

26th December 2020, 13:27	#15
Kosfactor Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Oct 2018 Location: COK\BLR\MYS Posts: 3,603 Thanked: 10,194 Times	Re: Restored Gypsy vs New Thar 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. Thar 2020 is the most modern 2 door Jeep available, sure it's not as utilitarian as the CRDe and you will refuse to dump a bag of manure in the back.
	(3) Thanks