[shankar.balan]

same principle as camouflage paintwork used by the army/ armed forces.
of course it is illegal for civilian vehicles to be painted with camo paint and even in the Army olive green shade.

the vehicle can blend in better with the natural surroundings if painted dark green/ greeny brown than if it is, for example bright red or bright silver!

Originally Posted by bblost

I am just curious, how does changing the color to dark green help.

Its not like you will be able to drive all the way inside a forest and park next to a wild animal.

[bblost]

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

the vehicle can blend in better with the natural surroundings

Which natural surroundings are we talking about.

Can someone actually drive a private vehicle inside a reserved forest in India.
Do our rules permit it?

If the fortuner is to be parked in a parking lot at some resort, farm house etc, how does its color matter.

In any case, will the dark green have any big advantage over the available extreme black color.

Will not the smell of diesel from the exhaust and the noise from the engine itself warn most animals away?

If its like parking inside a forest and waiting. Then cover the vehicle with army fatigues cloth. Its easily available near most army bases.

[AlokSriva]

We are going OT here..

Originally Posted by Warwithwheels

IMO, premium is a relative term and there is no yard stick to measure it. What is premium for me need not necessarily be considered premium by the world.

No matter how much I try to agree with your logic, vehicle segmentation as defined by industry would still be the guiding force and not the relativity of mere mortals like me and you

Coming back to the discussion
@Sudhir - painting the vehicle doesn't seem to be so great an idea afterall.. doesn't seem to be working out eitherwhich way.
Your call now to compare the disadvantages with the advantages you had on mind. All the best!

[shankar.balan]

with special permission for photography, from the Forest authorities, one can indeed visit sanctuaries and other such places and take photographs. equipment needs to be shown and declared for such a license to be issued.

the gentleman in question is a photographer. hence he prefers a colour for his vehicle which blends in with the environment that he operates in.

yes the sound of a diesel engine and the smell are likely to drive animals away.

but if the vehicle is parked quietly in the forest, and the colour blends in with the surroundings, there is a possibility of better photo opportunities.

the relative camouflage characteristics of black, dark green and so on are subject to debate. and I m not sure one can create a loose cover of army fatigues cloth for the vehicle without in some way infringing the rule that only army/ armed forces vehicles are allowed to use camouflage paint/ colour schemes and/or the special army olive green shade.

Originally Posted by bblost

Which natural surroundings are we talking about.

Can someone actually drive a private vehicle inside a reserved forest in India.
Do our rules permit it?

If the fortuner is to be parked in a parking lot at some resort, farm house etc, how does its color matter.

In any case, will the dark green have any big advantage over the available extreme black color.

Will not the smell of diesel from the exhaust and the noise from the engine itself warn most animals away?

If its like parking inside a forest and waiting. Then cover the vehicle with army fatigues cloth. Its easily available near most army bases.

[black12rr]

Originally Posted by bblost

Which natural surroundings are we talking about.

Can someone actually drive a private vehicle inside a reserved forest in India.
Do our rules permit it?

If the fortuner is to be parked in a parking lot at some resort, farm house etc, how does its color matter.

In any case, will the dark green have any big advantage over the available extreme black color.

Will not the smell of diesel from the exhaust and the noise from the engine itself warn most animals away?

If its like parking inside a forest and waiting. Then cover the vehicle with army fatigues cloth. Its easily available near most army bases.

I think hes a wild life photographer , he might have access to forest area more than normal guys .He would know better .

[bblost]

Since the color is only important when the vehicle has been parked for sometime. He can easily cover it up with any thick cloth or any color.

He can use brown when shooting in deserts, green in forests and so on.

IMHO this is an option, he can consider.
In fact, He can use his vehicle as a wall on one side and create a nice tent for himself.
Using just two bamboo poles on the other side.
i.e. 2 bamboo poles on one side, the fortuner on the other. A canvas top in between the too. Under the canvas, a nice shade to relax.

Also checked the OP's homepage. http://www.thejunglelook.com/
Lovely pics.

[shajufx]

Painting a brand new vehicle has many practical difficulties right from documentation correction to the warranty part. One alternative is to give a personal request to the manufacturing plant itself, I have heard some customer requests are taken seriously considering the profession and requirement of the customer.

Another point is about the practical advantage of doing it. How many preserved areas permit private vehicles in India ? Even if your green painted Fortuner is allowed, how is the glossy paint-job going to help in the task ? I am sure you are an expert in the field to think about the practicalities of all the above, but from my limited knowledge from friends in the field, I have heard of top-less or top open or modified jeeps doing its work in the wild.

Please update here on the final decision and work, it will be a good information for anyone interested in wild-life.

[shankar.balan]

yes shaju you're right.

for the most part, the forest authorities as well as other photographers etc use petrol driven, low emission, silent 4WD vehicles like Gypsy's.

even abroad in the Safari parks etc, the preference is for petrol driven LandRovers etc.

The typical diesel clatter when heard in such quiet, sylvan surroundings is bound to cause alarm with the animals and birds.

even in Mudumalai/ Bandipur when one takes special permission from the Forest Officer to go further afield on safari, the jeep takes you only part way. Then you walk with the guide OR go by elephant. And one is always asked and cautioned not to talk, smoke or make noises.

Originally Posted by shajufx

Painting a brand new vehicle has many practical difficulties right from documentation correction to the warranty part. One alternative is to give a personal request to the manufacturing plant itself, I have heard some customer requests are taken seriously considering the profession and requirement of the customer.

Another point is about the practical advantage of doing it. How many preserved areas permit private vehicles in India ? Even if your green painted Fortuner is allowed, how is the glossy paint-job going to help in the task ? I am sure you are an expert in the field to think about the practicalities of all the above, but from my limited knowledge from friends in the field, I have heard of top-less or top open or modified jeeps doing its work in the wild.

Please update here on the final decision and work, it will be a good information for anyone interested in wild-life.

[shazikon]

I understand your need for camouflaging the fortuner.. Rather than repainting it, why dont you try camouflaging it with something like this?
Photo Gallery - Camowraps - The Ultimate Outdoor Protection
CamoSkinz offers a larger gallery of camouflage wraps for all your hunting needs
Depending on the pattern it might help making your truck invisible!

[ACM]

A few points:

Fortuner is quite a noisey diesel.

Safari 2.2 is available in mountain green - too late now.

Toyota may agree to a special colour requiest - with associated delay and cost if you approach them.

A repaint by a dealer will never match the original quality, also pastics removed will result in holding clips breaking off. They never fit back as well as originally and the dealers too don't have good replacement clips.

Light blue, Dark Grey and Black should be more preferable colours compared to White and silver from the camoflage point of view - assuming no repaint.

More than resale, the chance of earlier rusting is a bigger worry with repainting.

[vasudhir]

Originally Posted by bblost

Which natural surroundings are we talking about.

Can someone actually drive a private vehicle inside a reserved forest in India.
Do our rules permit it?

If the fortuner is to be parked in a parking lot at some resort, farm house etc, how does its color matter.

In any case, will the dark green have any big advantage over the available extreme black color.

Will not the smell of diesel from the exhaust and the noise from the engine itself warn most animals away?

If its like parking inside a forest and waiting. Then cover the vehicle with army fatigues cloth. Its easily available near most army bases.

Thanks guys! I got my answer. I have done it before where I have covered the vehicle with a green cloth while waiting for the sloth bears at Daroji. Why did I not think of it before

I believe that's the best and the cheapest option. To get a nice camouflage covering done for the vehicle while driving in the forest or while waiting at a waterhole.

I think I will just go with the silver colour fortuner.

And to answer a few questions:
- With special permission from the forest department, it is sometimes possible to take your vehicle inside the forest.
- The animals do not run away because of the diesel smell or the vehicle sound. Most of the vehicles in our Kartanatak forests are the mahindra jeeps and it's not an issue.

Regards,
Sudhir

[n.devdath]

[quote=vasudhir;2076315]Thanks guys! I got my answer.[quote=vasudhir;2076315]

You took the words right out of my mouth Sir. I was about to suggest the same option since it is widely used by the Army.

But please be careful while choosing the cloth and while putting it on and taking it off since it may lead to swirls and hairline scratches on the truck.


[quote=vasudhir;2076315]And to answer a few questions:
- With special permission from the forest department, it is sometimes possible to take your vehicle inside the forest.
- The animals do not run away because of the diesel smell or the vehicle sound. Most of the vehicles in our Kartanatak forests are the mahindra jeeps and it's not an issue.[quote=vasudhir;2076315]

Looking forward to a detailed purchase experience, ownership and forest performance of the truck.

[GTO]

Leaving aside resale & warranty concerns, repainting at the dealer end requires a complete strip down of the vehicle. Dealer technicians will NOT be able to fit all parts back as precisely as a Toyota assembly line. It's just a bad idea really.

Since there's talk of forests & wildlife, you might want to consider a Gypsy (2nd vehicle). Diesels aren't allowed inside many a forest park.

[srishiva]

Hope your camouflaged Fortuner will not end up as a scoop in TBHP!

[nilanjanray]

Sudhir,

Amazing photos! Why haven't you updated your trip reports?

I am buying a Fortuner too (Black), and am teaching myself DSLR photography. Hope to run across you someday in some jungle. I visit Mudumalai/Masinagudi pretty often - once a month, almost.