The Safari refurbish project Gentlemen,
Proud owner of a 2008 Pearl White Safari 2.2 Dicor Ex 2X4 which has given pretty good service so far in spite of the normal niggles that are the bane of all Safari owners’ existence! Apart from a steering column change (under extended warranty) just around the 4 yr mark and clutch replacement (paid), there have been no major disasters. This is my wife’s daily commute and she loves it.
After 65k kms in 5 years we have come to a decision point – whether to sell it off and buy a new one (since my wife likes it so much) or get this refurbished and drive for another couple of years. So far we are leaning towards the “refurbish and run for another 2-3 years” option since it’s in decent shape. What do you guys think?
I plan a major overhaul and being almost completely ignorant about all things mechanical, seek guidance from this great community. The questions I would like to ask are listed below and I would deeply appreciate it if fellow Safari owners, especially from Mumbai, can weigh in with detailed responses: - The main question – I have used Wasan and the Tata Motors workshop in Worli and they are both equally bad. Poor attention to detail and I almost always have to take the car to them a second time to rectify minor issues. Can somebody point me to a really good mechanic/workshop for Safari in Mumbai preferably around Sion/central Mumbai or Navi Mumbai? Ideally I would like a workshop which can do everything for me – dent/paint, aircon, suspension, fix rattles, stereo etc. Or should I look for different specialists for suspension/aircon paint etc.
- Bumper – The front bumper had a minor collision on the left side which caused it to crack and the fog light casing broke. Tata Motors tried to fix it with an ugly screw sloppily drilled into the bumper (without asking me!) but that didn’t work. Change the front bumper is expensive and I’m wondering if a decent mechanic can fix it.
- Suspension – The front suspension has been worked on some time back. Now there is some sort of thudding sound from the back. Need to get it checked and overhauled if needed. Is there a Safari suspension specialist in Mumbai that you can recomend?
- Vibrations – there are various types of rattles, hums and vibrations from all around. While accelerating in 2-3 gear, the vibrations are more pronounced. Need to get it checked thoroughly.
- Mileage – has dropped to 9 from the 10-11 I used to get. Should I be worried? How can this be improved, is decarbonising the solution?
- Aircon – a) Leaks air from the windshield vents even when in the front position and b) Sporadically throws out bits of dirty foam! What could be the reason? Need a recommendation for a good aircon mechanic.
- Tyres – the stock tyres are in pretty good shape as it has been used basically in the city. However, they are 60k old and probably need to be changed. What should I be looking at? Don’t intend to get alloys at this point.
- Indicator – The stalk does not move back to original position once the turn is complete and sometimes refuses to stay in position while turning. TASS has advised me to change it. Is it possible to repair? What would be the cost?
- Others – Mud flaps, floor mats, left back light (broken) and the right side sun visor needs to be changed. How much should I budget and are there any branded mats/flaps I should go for? Also the rubber inside the front cup holders tore within the first 6 months. Is there any way it can be changed without replacing the entire console. TASS informed me that I need to change the console.
- Stereo – would like to upgrade as music is a passion. Have a budget of about 30K in mind. Do I need to change the stock Alpine HU? It used to connect to my old iPhone 2G but does not work with iPhone 4S or 5 or my daughter’s iPod. What kind of system sounds good in a Safari? We mostly listen to Indian Classical, film music, Ghazals and rock. Clarity is more important than boom. Phone/Bluetooth connectivity is essential.
- Paint – After being driven on Mumbai roads for almost 5 years, she’s had her share of scratches, scrapes and minor collisions; am wondering if complete repainting is required or if spot denting/painting will do the job. Any idea how much repainting would cost and where it should be done?
- Upholstery – the original fabric upholstery is in good shape but gets dirty quickly so thinking of Stanley / Karlsson. It looks like it would cost about 40K. Any user experience with these two or any other vendors? Where should I get it done?
- Projectors – have always wanted to install projectors but was advised against it by TASS. Now that the extended warranty is over, maybe I can go for it. How much would it cost and which is a good brand?
- Reversing camera – depending on how much is left over from my original budget, I might look at it. Any suggestions on a good brand and the cost?
- Sunfilm – The old sunfilm (Garware) has developed some scratches but has no bubbles etc. Is it recommended to change it? I’ve seen old sunfilm being scraped off at the spare part dealers and it looks like a very messy job. Also is it advisable to have sunfilm for the windshield?
Is there anything else I need to do to prolong the life of the vehicle? It has been regularly serviced by TASS and is in pretty good shape. What I would really love if if an experienced local forum member can look at it and advise me on current / potential issues. Frankly, I don't have much faith in TASS.
Items 11-15 are on the “desirable’ list and the wife and I are still arguing about the logic of spending so much on a 5 year old car  . After getting inputs from the gurus, I’ll put together a budget and decide. The target is to complete the project before monsoons.
Hopefully this thread will be useful for all the old Safari owners looking for overhaul.
Thanks. |