[Bullitt]

Well, the roof-rails are a subjective thing. I have seen a few pictures of the export-variant 4x4 Sierra, called the Gurkha/Sport in various markets, on this forum. I believe that car came with roof-rails as standard fitment, though I doubt they were offered in the Indian market. To me, those roof-rails looked quite good. But again, thats just my opinion. Here is a picture, courtesy Team-BHP:



@ Saptarshi: This picture will help you make a decision about the roof-rails. After all, it's just a cosmetic addition. Don't take it too seriously. The Sierra looks awesome, with or without them.

Guys,
What are the implications of fitting a cross-bar on the roof with a quad-foglight setup? I read in a few threads here that it is illegal within city limits, but only if they are uncovered. What if I drive around with covered fogs on the roof? Personally, I think they add loads of character to SUVs like the Sierra, Safari, Scorpio etc. etc. (funny how all SUV names begin with an 'S'?)

Your thoughts?

- Bullitt.

[Randhawa]

Those extra lights you see on some SUV's aren't the best around and more like wannabe stuff.

[Bullitt]

@ Randhawa: That is the point, isn't it? Let me re-phrase that. Fogs on the roof make any SUV "look" even more awesome. That is the major part of the equation. Even if those fogs don't work at all, they do enhance the look of the car.

Now I don't mean to say I want a set of defunct lights on my car roof just for the show of it. I could definitely use the extra illumination whenever I travel out-of-town to not-so-well-lit places on unilluminated highways.

But, the security aspect needs to be considered too. Aside from the fact that there is a risk of being fined (and the lights being confiscated), those fogs are also prime targets for thieves. That, I feel, is the primary reason why the lights we see on some SUV's aren't any of the "good stuff" like Hellas. As for me, I would definitely fit "good stuff" on the front of the car, since they serve a purpose. On the roof, "wannabe" fogs are ok, as long as they throw sufficient light when required, which will be less than 5% of the time. For the remaining 95%, they will remain with caps on, and serve as a cosmetic addition to enhance the looks of the car.

- Bullitt.

[condor]

Originally Posted by Bullitt

What are the implications of fitting a cross-bar on the roof with a quad-foglight setup?

If you want to do this, then use the clamps that come with the roof-luggage carriers & the horizontal bar of the roof luggage carrier. If that bar does not work, then fabricate one. The clamps will help you avoid any drilling etc, and can get a good grip on the door frame.

[Bullitt]

@ condor: Can you throw some light on the legal aspects of the same? Is it illegal if those lights have caps on them? And, is it legal to use them (read remove the caps and switch them on) on highways outside city limits, or in dimly lit semi-rural/rural areas?

[condor]

I think we are on the same page about the legality of such lamps. As per MV act, we cannot have ANY lamps outside the body of the vehicle or above level of the OE head lamps. If the RTO / cops are insistent, then they can book a vehicle even if the caps are on.

[Bullitt]

Hmm, now that's a bummer. I guess it all depends on how stringently this rule is enforced, the probability of one being noticed/caught by the cops, and of course, how much fine (100 bucks?) or "chai-paani" one will have to dole out each time the vehicle is stopped by the cops. Overall, a very unpleasant situation.

[Saptarshi B]

Condor and Bullit Thanks for your inputs. I am rethinking the Paint job now.

Good to see this thread revived. I went through from the begining. Seems there are enough thick skinned Sierra enthusiasts after all !! Glad to be a part of it.

I am based in Bombay and keep taking my monthly ride to Pune (old college memories and Burger king - Steak burgers keep calling). So will be good to meet up with any of you to exchange notes. Jan 2011 is when I too will get free from the shaadi season and will be scouting for parts. Give me a shout.

@ sierrakamat: look forward to some tips from you!

Tyres: The original size of course is 215/75 R15. The recommended upgrade is 225/70 R15. Since mine is a NA, too much upgrade will worsen the pickup/power. Have hounded the Michelin dealers for the past 3 months. 225 is out of stock.

Ferrari Red paint: Will stay on for the time being atleast. I can do with the extra cash and time.

Tacho: While I do intend to scout around for used parts, any idea on the price ? It has never worked for the past few months that I owned the Sierra

Apart from that, the vehicle is in excellent condition. Even after my 3 week Delhi trip the Sierra started in 1 crank of the ignition. Power delivery is fine. the usual electrical issues with the door light (bottom of the door) working whenever it feels like it.

[Randhawa]

@Bullitt- I know what you saying and totally agree that it gives a lot of stance improvement. But I was talking about the ones which are available in the Indian market and doing rounds on all kinds of vehicle. I have seen those particular set of light in a row shrouded by a black moulding at back on from Fiesta to Tavera, Safari, Inova and rest. Its just too common.

Some of us try to build our vehicle which stands apart from the crowd and represents individualism.

[kaustubh_vaze]

@Saptarshi - Please do not change the colour of your Sierra. Its just amazing the way it has been maintained. Keep the car as it is. Just add a black bull bar and a couple of Hellas up front to get the mean looks on the car.

Update - After the fuel pump service, the car pickup has increased considerably and she pulls like never before.
I still have the oil leakage issue and it persists. Engine oil level has not gone down and PS and Brake fluid levels are also constant. Its again at the right front side. Could it be diesel leakage? It does not smell like diesel. Where can the oil leak from??
:(

@Bullitt - Do you know of a place called Kudalwadi near Bhosari? I think we should pay this place a visit. Yesterday I met someone from TML engines department and he suggested to have a look there. There are many scrap dealers there and we might get parts around that area. A search on google maps revealed that it is quite close to Pune. Worth taking a look?
Regards,
Kaustubh

[Bullitt]

@ Saptarshi:

Good to see one more BK fan! I used to frequent the place in my college days, but alas, I rarely go there now, because I hardly ever visit that part of town, since I stay in the PCMC area.

Coming to the tyres, since you are unable to find 225/75 R15, and you are planning to get alloys, I would once again suggest that you go for 16" alloys with 235/60 R16 Michelin tyres. I agree that +10 is the best recommended upgrade for any car, but +20 will not make a world of difference either. Not on a Sierra anyway, since the OEM tyres are big enough already. To put it in perspective, the +20 mm tread would mean a lot on an Alto or any hatch, but to an SUV like the Sierra the difference is miniscule.

On the contrary, upgrading the 15" steel wheels to 16" alloys will give you fabulous handling, which will more than compensate for any loss of pickup/power you may experience with the extra 20 mm tread width (which I'm sure you won't if you use Michelins). So don't worry about it.

Last, but not the least, your beast will look a lot better with 16" alloys than 15" ones, thanks to the lower profile.

The only thing you need to think about is the front tyres scraping the wheel-wells when you make a full turn. But that can be fixed easily.

NOTE: One point you should note is that if you choose to go for 235mm tyres, make sure you buy wider alloys. I believe the steel rims on the Sierra are 6J size for the 215 tyres. For 235, you are better off with 6.5J or 7.0J alloys. My Sierra has 215 Apollo Hawkz on 7J alloys (15"), and they work just fine.

It's good to see that you have chosen to retain the Ferrari Red, you made the right choice. Take a good hard look at the paint and decide if it needs a re-spray, or just a good detailing job will do. Since you are in Mumbai, double-check the anti-rust treatment and take effective measures to counter corrosion, especially for the underbody, engine bay and door panels.

For the tachometer, I think the one from the Sumo Victa IDI should be direct fit. The display may be different, but the mechanism should be the same, since it is the same 483DL engine. You can enquire with any TASC whether this is possible.

The tacho in my car never wakes up when I fire up the engine and idle it. It jumps directly from 0 to 1.5-2.0K when I step on the gas while pulling away from the parking. After that it works fine. The speedo needle is a bit wobbly though, more so at higher speeds. You can never tell whether I'm doing 80 or 100 kmph. Dunno why that happens.

The electrical gremlins are standard accessories that came factory-fitted in all Tata Sierras, both NA as well as Turbo variants.

@ Randhawa: I know what you mean. Those lights are mostly chinese replicas, much like the Audi-inspired white LED strips that you find lining the headlights of most cars these days. I have seen white Tata Indica call center cabs sporting a quad fog setup on the roof. It's an amusing sight to behold.

A picture speaks more than a million words, so here is what I am thinking of:

Picture courtesy forums.offroadtb.com


Picture courtesy hummertruckworld.tenmagazines.com


Based on condor's inputs about the law, I think this will remain just that, wishful thinking.

- Bullitt.

[Bullitt]

@ Kaustubh:

Did you take a peek under the car and see where the oil originates from? To begin with, wipe the entire concerned area of the car's underside clean with a rag and park the car overnight on a clean spot in your parking (or you can securely lay an old newspaper under the suspect area of the car to locate the leak, if you park on a non-tiled surface) then inspect the leak in the morning.

In case you find it difficult to find the source when the car is parked, take it to the garage and ask them to lift the car or park it on a pit, this will make it easier to locate the source of the leak.

Kudalwadi is a small rundown area right behind the Bhosari TML factory, which is famous for scrap dealers, and as a safe haven for externed criminals. It is about 10 kms away from where I live. Most of the scrap dealers deal in scrap (like metal shavings) that they buy from TML and other small and big industries located all over Bhosari MIDC and Chinchwad MIDC. Also, all the junk that these handcart pulling "bhangarwallas" buy lands up here. There are also quite a few fabrication workshops in that area. It is better to have contacts before venturing into places like these, where unscrupulous elements abound. Else you never know who or what you are dealing with.

If your TML friend has any contacts that he can refer us to, we can definitely give it a try. I too, will try to find out whether there are any worthwhile garages or parts dealers in that area. Who knows, it might be worth paying a visit after all.

- Bullitt.

[kaustubh_vaze]

@Jaydeep,

I will do it. Dont find the time nowadays to spend with the car. Sad aint it?
BTW, I will talk to the concerned person and figure out if he has any contacts!

Regards,
Kaustubh

[Bullitt]

@ Kaustubh: Same here man. I find myself searching for excuses to drive my Sierra! I only get to drive it on weekends, that too most of the time it's for weekly shopping trips :(

It's probably been a month since I dropped that 5th OD gear and let the beast fly! Even moderate city traffic doesn't afford that luxury, have to keep the box in 4th at anything below 70kmph. Gets boring at times.

- Bullitt.

[GTO]

Originally Posted by Bullitt

Hmm, now that's a bummer. I guess it all depends on how stringently this rule is enforced, the probability of one being noticed/caught by the cops, and of course, how much fine (100 bucks?) or "chai-paani" one will have to dole out each time the vehicle is stopped by the cops. Overall, a very unpleasant situation.

Mumbai cops never harass as long as the auxiliary lights are wearing caps.

Originally Posted by Bullitt

Also, the A/C in the Sierra is not a great performer. The metallic grey attracts a lot of heat, making the A/C's job even harder. Summers will be really hard to go by. And there you have another reason to retain the existing color.

Change over to a powerful Superking blower. My brother did it for his Sierra; that was the last of any cooling complaints.