[kaustubh_vaze]

@Jaydeep,

Yes, I may not need a seats immediately. But the driver's seat needs some looking into. I sit straight while driving and the seat refuses to lock in the upright position.

Here's my wishlist for the Mumbai trip:
1. Front 2 caps for the top channels. I hope I get them. Mine got stolen before I took delivery of my car and the owner had finally fixed it with m-seal after umpteen replacements which got stolen. Leaks a bit in rain.
2. The front powder coated crash bar.
3. Tyres if they are going cheap
4. Scouting (not buying) engine+GB. Though this is the last option and can be skipped.
5. Sumo Victa ORVMs

Lets have some fun and figure out what is available. I just pray that my car holds up without any major issues right through the summer otherwise I may need that Toyota engine sooner.

Regarding the temperature gauge - Mine climbs upto the 1/4 level mark and stays there no matter what.

Regards,
Kaustubh

[condor]

Saptarshi B Temperature gauge. Shows a constant '0 deg'

Hope it does not need a full console. (my Sumo's fuel gauge conked out & they had to replace the full console. Atleast that was under wty.)

Bullitt : I think we are both saying the same thing, only in different words. The Sierra definitely DOES NOT need a luggage carrier.

@Bullitt, yes ..

Bullitt : It seems that the UK/Ireland export version of the Sierra (the "Tata Gurkha"), was sold with a luggage carrier installed on the roof.

Not to carry luggage on the roof, but may be for the surf-boards. or a Thule carrier. Not the suitcases we see on vehicles here.

Originally Posted by kaustubh_vaze

5. Sumo Victa ORVMs

Get that from your local T.A.S.S.

[sierrakamat]

the side glasses leak because the bordering roof metal is rusted only way to fix is to remove the glasses do the tin work close the front and rear gutters (welded shut wit metal strips) so that water doesnt accumulate in the corners and then refit the glass with liberal dose of sealant.
fitting of victa orvms entails modifying the window frame .
both these things mean that you have to repaint the roof.

[Saptarshi B]

I went to premjis in Mahim for the tyres. Heads up: Michelin rates have been revised. The latitude cross that were for INR 5575 are now for INR 5850 per tyre. Tubeless tyres are not too good an idea unless you have new wheels or alloys.

I have spoken to the regional dealer for Neo alloys. The 15" Hulk or Jumbo model will fit the Sierra. I am buying 5. Cost is 17,000 for 4 and approx 21,000 for 5 alloys. If anyone else is interested, let me know and we can negotiate a better deal

@bullit: Since the NA does not have too much of power, I don’t want to increase the diameter too much. So will stick with 215/75 R15 for now

Headlight: The Sierra turbo / Tata Estate headlights do not fit on the bracket of the old Sierra lights. So I have a completely new set of Sierra turbo lights with bill (all original from Shetty Motors) in case any of you are interested in purchasing it

Victa ORVMs: Also do not fit on the Sierra NA.

The fuel gauge used to go up to the quarter mark too. Now just refuses to budge. So not sure what the deal is !

I am free this weekend. So let me know when the Pune gang finalises their trip.

[Bullitt]

Wow Man! Looks like tyres are as expensive as onions these days!

(I just wanted to say that! )

I bought a set of 4 X 215/75 R15 Apollo Hawkz for 18K, just a couple of months back.

I think you misunderstood the concept of upsizing. The basic idea is to keep the "rolling diameter" (total diameter of rim + tyre) of the wheels the same, only changing the proportion of the rim and the tyre. The diameter of the "rim" does increase by an inch, but this is equally compensated by a reduction in the sidewall of the tyre to maintain the overall proportion, with just a +/- 1-2% change.

Try the tyre size calculator on this page to find the best result:

Car Bibles : The Wheel and Tyre Bible Page 3 of 4

Bottomline: This will NOT overload your engine in any way.

Beyond that, it's your call.

For the alloys, do take care to check the offset, make sure they do not bulge out from the vehicle too much (a little is okay).

The headlight + front blinker assembly of the NA Sierra has those black surrounds, which probably require a different type of mount. I think that is the reason why the Sierra Turbo/Estate lights don't fit.

I might be interested in picking those lights off you, as mine have turned a bit dull. What do you mean by "a completely new set of Sierra turbo lights"? Does it include all external lights on the Sierra Turbo? Do get it with you the day we meet.

For the Victa ORVMs, I think a bit of tinkering is required, but it's well worth the effort, considering the snail's pace at which the power window rolls down every time you have to adjust the stock ORVM. Not to mention water entering in the rainy season.

For the guages, I think your best bet is to fit a completely new console. Check if you can use the Victa IDI's console, since the meters will probably be compatible with the Sierra.

I have "reserved" this weekend for the Mumbai trip. Right now I have this severe respiratory infection, am currently on antibiotics. In all probability, it will be gone before the weekend, fingers crossed.

Vaze Buwa, Kamat Sir, are we on for this weekend?

- Bullitt.

[Saptarshi B]

Yes I had a shock when i heard the 'revised' prices even though the tyre manufacture week was week 23 in 2010 !!

4 for 18k sounds good. Which is the exact model ? Hawkz HT or HL or AT ?

Thouogh it will definately be an improvement for my vehicle (7 - 10 year old tyres currently) Any recommendation on the brand ? Aim is to have a quiet and comfortable ride

I have used the rim calculator and the 235/65 R16 are not available atleast in the 3 shops i checked. I will stick to the 215/75 R15 for now as its a standard readily available size.

[Bullitt]

It is Hawkz A/T. (I checked the website, A/T variant comes in this size, the other variants do not).

The ride is pretty comfortable, though quietness is debatable, as the noise of any tyre can hardly be heard over the growl of the engine in a Sierra. Frankly, I never paid much attention to it.

Apollo is a good brand, I took a liking to it after I shod my WagonR with Aceleres back in June. The Aceleres are as quiet and comfy as Michelins, they offered a huge improvement over the stock (and pathetic) JK's it was originally shod with (though the JK's did last long, almost 50K kms).

Since my Sierra was shod with Yoko Geolandar A/T's when I procured it, I stuck to A/T's, against the advice of my local mech (he suggested H/T's). Also, I am a sucker for the aggressive looks that the A/T tyres give the Sierra.

The dealer who sold me the Hawkz had also shown me an A/T tyre in Bridgestone. The pattern was very aggressive looking, I liked it very much. He said these are "Made in Thailand", the pattern is not available in "Made for India" Bridgestone's. He also said the company imports them and sells them here, so standard Bridgestone warranty applies, meaning they are not "grey market" tyres, just "premium imported" ones. Sadly, he had only 3 pieces in stock, and a call from him to the Bridgestone distributor revealed I would have to wait for at least 30-45 days for the new shipment to arrive. So, I had to drop it and go for Hawkz instead. You can try to find those, they are easily identifiable by some strange translucent blue protective wrapping on the sidewall lettering of the tyre. The lettering is highlighted in white, and the packing protects this, I guess.

If you are very particular about the "quiet" part, I would suggest you go for an H/T pattern. Apollo doesn't have this size in H/T or H/L, so you will have to look at other brands.

In case you choose the Apollo Hawkz H/T, I think Apollo still has that scheme running wherein you get Rs.1000/- discount in exchange for 4 of your old tyres. In case you buy the fifth one, you get additional Rs. 250/- discount. You have to buy minimum 4 tyres for this offer. I had availed of this offer back then, and the price of 18K I paid includes this discount.

- Bullitt.

[kaustubh_vaze]

Hello everyone,
Some updates: All issues are now resolved and I am now running in the car. Using it as a daily drive to office and then some. I get a mileage of around 10 in the city and maybe 12 on the highway. Need to check with the tankful to tankful method. The leak was attributed to a faulty switch in the brake fluid container so it could not be located. After changing that the leak issue now stands resolved. Now the bull does not mark its territory wherever it goes.
The tyres are almost 7 years old but have quite some life left in them. But braking is not confidence inspiring. I can cruise effortlessly till 80 (speedo still shows 60 and refuses to go beyond at times and I can feel that I am doing 80 ish. Have to check.)
But I am scared because of inadequate braking. A quick gear shift and the car is in control. Need to check it up.
I also feel the right front bearing is gone since car starts humming a tune if speed is in excess of 60KMPH.

@Jaydeep - We are on for the 16th Jan trip to Mumbai. Will call you up on Friday/Saturday to finalize. You can then synch up with SierraKamat and Saptarshi to confirm.
Kamat sahib has already confirmed his availability for the 16th. @SierraKamat - Please reconfirm.
I also need all the beadings for the car. Lets see if a set is available.

Regards,
Kaustubh

[Saptarshi B]

@condor: I hope the whole console doesnt have to be replaced. My budget will go out of whack then !

@bullit: You talking about the Bridgestone Duelers A/T ? Thanks. I think I will go for these.

This post also finally takes me out of the 'newbie' category ! Already feel a bit older

[Bullitt]

@ Saptarshi : Congrats on your new-found status! The best part is, you don't have to wait for a moderator to approve your post.

Regarding the tyres, the one's I saw were Bridgestone Dueler A/T's (not sure about the model number, the "Dueler" series has several numbers like 6XX), but they were imported ones, made in Thailand or Malaysia. They are easily recognizable by the white lettering on the sidewall. Indian variants don't have that. See if you can get your hands on a set of those.

Bridgestone also has a good range of H/T tyres too, in case you are serious about the "quiet and comfortable ride" factor. I'm saying this, as A/T's (all terrain) tend to be inherently noisier than their H/T (highway terrain) counterparts, courtesy the "knobby" tread pattern that A/T's have.

Since you are going for alloys, go for tubeless tyres. The cost difference is marginal. Tubeless tyres are known to be more silent than the tube-type variety, they don't make that "howling" noise at high speed on highways, like truck tyres. They also offer better safety in case of a puncture, as they don't deflate immediately.

- Bullitt.

[Saptarshi B]

Not that hung up on a 'quiet and comfortable ride'. Just that the ride quality currently is really bad right now. And I just discovered the reason for that. One tyre is 1997 manufactured. 14 years old !!! Another is 11 years old and the rest are 7 years old.

[condor]

Originally Posted by Saptarshi B

@condor: I hope the whole console doesnt have to be replaced. My budget will go out of whack then !

get the console dismantled at your local garage & check it out. That will confirm it for you.

And when you do it, pls post pics of the back-side of the console. Thanks !

[Bullitt]

@ Saptarshi :

14 years old!!! Is that an OEM??? Dude, you are running some really ancient stone-age stuff man! It's totally unsafe, get it changed ASAP. Go for Apollo Hawkz A/T or Bridgestone Dueler A/T, whichever you like. The Hawkz are a little softer compound than the Duelers, and will give a slightly more comfy ride. If you choose the Hawkz, don't forget to ask if the Rs. 1000/- discount is still running. All the best.

@ Kaustubh :

The brakes on the Sierra are no show-stoppers man. I have the exact same feeling as you. Inspite of having completely overhauled the brakes when I bought the car, the braking can only be described as "spongy" at best. Shifting gears is an absolute must to slow the beast down, but it extracts it's cost from the clutch plate.

I sometimes get the feeling that the LSPV in my Sierra is faulty, seeing the way it nose-dives when I hit the brakes.

Is there any way to improve the braking in these cars?

- Bullitt.

[Saptarshi B]

Sure is. Good Old JK Brute. I have given some serious competition to the truck walas on extracting some life out of dead tyres.

No worries. The car will only step out for new footwear

[kaustubh_vaze]

A good set of tyres should improve the braking I guess. I might go for the Apollo Hawkz A/T. As you mentioned they are softer, it should help in improving braking. Get your LSPV checked soon. I dont think it may be faulty since all it does is prevents the rear wheels from locking in case of panic braking.
@Jaydeep - We are on for Sunday. Will give you a call tomorrow to finalize time to move and mode of transport. Both my cars, the Palio and the Sierra are due for a tyre upgrade. Though we can go in my Sierra or yours. No problem with any one of them.

Regards,
Kaustubh