[ambarkhan]

Here is my story with the 2021 Thar Diesel Manual Hard Top after 15 months and 29 000KMS.


Before covid times I never felt the need to get a car, because I preferred commuting over two wheels (horse powered or man-powered); for everything else self-drive served the purpose, and the flexibility of renting a car as per the occasion is simply superb. Want to go on a road trip with friends get a Fortuner, need something fun to drive get a Honda City, want to impress on arrival get a Merc. But getting a rental during covid times didn't seem a valid use case. Also, the 'Senior Management' in my last org kept pushing the back-to-office dates by 2-4 weeks every now and then. Which resulted in numerous Pune - Bhopal commute; and I decided that now is the correct time to buy a car. I decided to get a beater and bought a used Xenon but the car never got transferred to my name. I returned the car got my token money back and started to hunt for a new car.



There are very few things in life I am clear about luckily this was not the case when I decided to buy a car. I had the following needs

• Body on Frame
• 4wd
• Should be able to carry a motorcycle/tow a trailer
• Must not break the bank
• It must be a safe car
• Not soft top

I was very close to finalising the XUV300 Diesel Manual for a couple of years.
But bhpian Rajiv0909 made me realise it's not worth spending 12-13Lakhs and compromising on your needs, it's better to push for another 3-4 lakhs and get a long-termer.

The above list meant just two options Isuzu VCross or the new Thar. VCross was not launched in BS6 at that time so I decided to wait till it was launched. I was expecting the Hi Lander should be in my budget. When launched Hilander didn't have the 4x4 variant and VCross was way out of budget. Suddenly all the shortcomings of Thar vanished. 5 minutes past the Isuzu launch stream booked the Thar assuming that it will anyways get delivered after a year. Gurkha was not launched at time of my purchase.

I casually called the executive with whom I had enquired about the XUV300 and was Informed that I have booked a Thar online (there was one during the second wave lockdown) and if there is any inventory available. To my surprise there was one aquamarine available, as I was not sure of the colour, he offered to visit his stockyard and check the colour. I checked the colour, I found it to be the best-looking colour on a Thar, a day later I confirmed my intent to buy it. The executive said the car will be allotted on the day of the reopening of the showroom which was 3-4 days later I said fine. In the meantime, I got the vehicle loan pre-approved, diluted a few savings and was mentally ready to welcome the new Thar in the family.

On the day of the opening of the showroom I visited and met the executive and manager. The manager tried his best not to give me the car. This was the time when people were paying premiums to get early delivery. Eventually, when I said that after written confirmation from your executive I procured finance and diluted the funds and if the car is not allotted to me who'll bear the costs and I'll be escalating it, he decided to allot me the car on condition to buy insurance, and some basic from him to which I agreed. I did the PDI and transferred the amount and in a very non-festive mode got the Thar around 9 PM from the yard.

At the time of purchase, the following accessories were installed/bought

• Reverse Parking Camera
• Radiator Gaurd
• Air Dams
• Mud Flaps
• Car Cover

[ambarkhan]

How's the Thar?
My Usage pattern till now:
20% offroad (mountains, forest, deserts, local OTR)
50% highways
30% Commute

A short wheelbase, Rear Wheel Drive equipped with a short ratio gearbox and a decently powered engine is a perfect recipe to make you smile every time you floor it; you just have to be cautious that you are not in a sports car but a two-tonne jeep. Sharing my experience on the small components.
Only if Mahindra strengthens the Logan Chassis put the 200bhp Stallion and make an RWD (If Dodge Charger can share its engine with a truck why not Mahindra Sedan can do the same)

Engine and Gearbox
The short-shifting gearbox is a hoot to drive and is properly mated. I sometimes feel issues engaging 2nd gear but this has not been cured yet.
While this something gets irritating in city traffic the gear ratios are perfect for offroad and hills.
The 6th gear could be more spaced out (automatic has a different 6th ratio than manual ) for a better highway cruise. If you don't give any throttle input the vehicle has enough low-end grunt to keep the vehicle rolling. In each gear, the vehicle will crawl easily by speed 10x of the gear you are in, for example in 3rd gear vehicle will easily move at 30kmph without any input and without lugging the engine. This makes it easily manageable in traffic.

Suspension
Suspensions are an afterthought. The ride quality is the same on hard-pack trails and on smooth highways (which is both good and bad). Especially on cemented roads, the ride quality is significantly worse than on tarmac roads. The ride quality makes you fatigue faster than other BOF SUVs also the shorter wheelbase doesn't help either. If you are looking to munch miles look somewhere else, I have done approx 1000kms a day multiple times but were tiring ones. The good thing about them is they are cheap. If aftermarket can bring good suspension in a matter of months of the launch vehicle, Mahindra should have provided a better setup nothing fancy but better. Each strut costs you around 2000 and you get what you pay for.

Luggage and Boot
With rear seats up there is not much luggage carrying capacity. I still can't think why Mahindra has decided to make Thar a sub-4 meter car when there is no tax advantage because of the engine size. Extra 6 Inches would have helped a lot. Also, there is no factory-provided point for roof-mounted luggage. Even for the rooftop tent listed on M2All, they rely on us to get custom fabrication to install the tent.

Brakes and Saftey
The omission of disc brakes on the rear wheels is simply a very bad decision. While Mahindra preaches safety they don't mind cutting corners on basics(check the Scorpio N Z2 and Z4 variants). I cannot retrofit the rear discs from other vehicles because I don't know how ESC gonna respond to this. Still, while hard breaking if you are under reasonable speeds it will stop at a decent distance. Also, the rollbar dont extend to A-Pillars. In case of a topple there is not much to save you. I am planning to put on a roll cage someday which will also act as a luggage rack.

Ergonomics and Seats
Just setting up context I am 6ft 1inch tall. Under-thigh support is non-existent in the seats. Also, the seat structure is not very confidence-inspiring. The recliner mechanism has started missing once on my car which was replaced under warranty, It has started to slip again. Also when the driver seat is set up in the lowest position it shakes vertically on almost every bump it gets worse as the springs get softer over time.
The centre console on the dash takes up a lot of space which in turn left less space for footwells. My left leg scrapes on the centre console and my right leg rubs against the driver's gate. There is not much space left for my right leg for the Accelerator pedal as well, as a workaround, I rely a lot on cruise control. Rear seats are best not occupied. Even if the ladies volunteer to sit on the rear seats you gonna receive a ton of complaints in later days. The lumbar support was the only good thing about the seat, but they have decided to remove it.

Infotainment
The adventure statistics are good. On wishful thinking, if we could have gotten the coolant temperature in degrees it would have been very good. I had a wish that on the navigation if I could load GPX files in future updates. But Mahindra has removed the navigation system itself from the newer models/. The integrated Navigation system is a very big thing which new owners gonna miss. It has brought me back from the jungle a few times. Even if you are in some place where it doesn't have routes you can start navigating to any random place and it will draw a trail on the map, which you can reuse to backtrack if you are lost.

I love the roof-mounted speakers. While the audio quality is average the speakers do masks a lot of road noise because of their proximity to the driver. If you plan to upgrade your speakers please install a DSP unit with your amp if you want the best result. I also wish there was an option for installing the front camera, which would have been a boon for off-road situations.

NVH
NVH are decent for a hard top nothing problematic I have ever faced. I have got the underbody coating and underbody protection installed which further cuts the road noise.

Visibility
The drive position is commanding and you clearly see the road ahead of you. The A-Pillars are thick and B pillars are wide which all affect your visibility. It is almost impossible to see what is happening next to the front left quarter panel. If someone is on a co-driver seat you might have to ask them to adjust their position to see from the left ORVM. The IVRM is small and doesn't offer much visibility.


Build Quality
The Thar felt like it is built to last, especially on the mechanical bits. If you accidentally hit a pothole at high speed, you don't feel like the car will get destroyed.

Mileage
I drive on highways between 80-100 with ac on 1st and I get approximately 13-14KMPL. If you drive sedately you can extract even 15-16kmpl. Also, point to note the 6th gear on automatic is spaced out as compared to manual Thars which results in better fuel efficiency on automatic Thars. In the city, I get around 11-13. The MID is overoptimistic while displaying the mileage.


DPF & DEF
I have never faced any issues with DPF getting clogged. Once in a blue moon, there is a warning for a second for DPF clogged. Just drive a little less sedately and you'll be okay. There is no DEF Gauge but there is a warning sign which starts about when there is DEF left for 1000kms. Unless you are in a truly remote area you'll easily find DEF on any petrol pump or dhabas. I do carry a 2-litre DEF bottle with me always for just-in-case scenarios.

Service Experience
I have personally experienced a lot of quality improvement in the service quality of Mahindra. Might be after I lost my temper once and they start treating me better. Service Centers are better in Tier 1-2 cities as compared to tier 3 cities. It's nowhere near the standards of Toyota but they have improved a lot. I guess as the volume of passenger cars will take over the bolero market it should get improved as well. The service cost is about .5p per KM and it will go to 1rs per km after the free services. The Mahindra app also shows you the expected cost of each service.
The job card is uploaded on the app too where you have to approve it, so if you are a little careful the service guys can't cut corners.


Body
The diesel I have I equipped with 130 horses, Well 130castratedhorses. While the engine is refined it gets unnecessarily strained because of the poor aerodynamics. The same poor aero also results in compromised handling. I knew what I was getting into when buying, but it still bothers me on long-haul trips. If you want to drive it fast you must know how to use Left Foot braking. If you don't know it, drive it in a defensive matter.

I don't have any problem with that copying the design of the wrangler, the problem is Nakal Bina Akal. Wrangler is more aerodynamic than Thar and if they have copied it properly Thar would have been a better aero package.
You can see this in the image below.

[ambarkhan]

If you have reached this point you might be thinking why the hell after so many complaints I am still owning the Thar? If you want an affordable car which can take you to the remotest places, takes you on the adventures of a lifetime also can haul you to the grocery store. In just a month after acquiring the Thar I went on a trip to the mountains. The Thar 'offer a fill it forget it' experience or I Have been lucky so far

The only niggle I have faced is the traction control turns it on after you cross 60kph and there is no way to turn it off. During high-speed runs, the traction control applies the brake and unsettles it.

We took her to Zanskar, Laddakh and Gurez Valley. Some of the pictures and videos attached

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_k-2tJwSV7w

The only issue I faced during this trip was somehow my windshield washers disintegrated, no one knows why probably some defective batch, didn't face it afterwards.

[ambarkhan]

After 8-9 months of adventures in central India, we headed back to the mountains. Thar served as a mobile office for me. I just use to find a blissfully place from the tourists with network coverage and mark it the office for the day. The capability and fuss-free nature of the vehicle allowed me to do this.
Before starting this trip my plan was to get rid of Thar and get the cheapest variant of Scorpio N with 4x4, but the trip made me realize the mettle of the Thar and it become a permanent member of the garage. The car enabled me to go to places without backup where venturing out solo might be the biggest stupidity, touchwood I have not faced any serious issues.

I did a loop starting from Bhopal-> Chamba-> Sachpass-> Manali ->Kunzum Pass- > Spiti -> Chitkul -> Bir -> Bhopal few of the pics from the trip


While coming down on the Jalori pass towards Jibhi, the section infamous for brake fade the engine braking really impressed me and one had to use the brakes very sparingly even on the steep downhill.

[ambarkhan]

Exploring the jungles of Madhya Pradesh. One good thing about lockdowns is we are able to work remotely. The thar has been a perfect companion in exploring the places which are still far away from the internet. I have found numerous beautiful places which have no mention on the internet, I'll skip them here as well. Few pics from the unexplored MP and Great Escape Bhopal

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPTaAN4rFbk

She also served as a backup vehicle for my first attempt at desert storm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QL30dlRmvdA

[ambarkhan]

Mods Done
I have done just essential mods as of now
Under Body Protection from ARKA and Rear Two Hitch Reciever from Swastik Fabs. Why these two? I prefer brands with motorsports experience over the others. In my personal experience accessories for Thar are being sold at a premium.
CB Radio from President
Hella projector Fog Lamps

Planned Mods
Winch with Synthetic ropes.
Upgrade suspension I have heard about IronMans is available waiting for the beta tester to get the result. Otherwise, AVO from ARKA motorsports will be installed.
Improve Braking (not sure about the approach. )
Sony DSP + Amp
Change of Seats if the Scorpio N ones can be retrofitted.
Get XUV700 tune if possible (post vehicle is out of warranty)
Some DIY awning




I have skipped a lot of things which are covered multiple times in other threads.

Summary
If you are buying Thar for the looks I have no comments but for anything else think hard if you'll be using the 4wd system in future or if an AWD is sufficient for you. If you are just gonna stick to tarmac there are a lot better options available which will take you from point A to B faster, cheaper and in a more comfortable way

Thar comes with lots of issues on practicality but if you are okay with a two-seater car and willing to adjust on creature comforts (it has ac and music system what else one needs on an adventure vehicle ) it hits the sweet spot. Need a little more comfort go for automatic version and get an aftermarket suspension. If you want to build an overland rig(don't confuse car camping with Overlanding); wait for 5-door Thar or get a Gurkha. 3-door Thar doesn't have space to build a practical overland build and in our country, a decathlon quick-release tent might be better than an expensive top-heavy car-mounted tent.

[GTO]

Thread moved from the Assembly Line to the Reviews section. Thanks for sharing!

Going to our homepage today

[gururajrv]

Just one word, AMAZING! You're using the car to it's full potential. Just how it is meant to be! Those pics from the mountains and off-road adventures is so soothing for a reason which I can't explain if you've a CAR you make once in a lifetime drives. But, if you've a THAR, you make all drives possible every-single-time!

Wishing you lakhs of kms with this truck!

[neel@makrand]

Amazing pics mate��

Thar is meant to be used the way you've done, off roads-mountains-dirt tracks and more. Wish you many many smiling miles with this amazingly capable SUV.

[Neil Roy]

My only gripe with the new Thar is the comfort. It checks on all the other boxes which a travelling wanderer needs. Maybe aftermarket shocks will help to a greater extent. This is where the Gurkha scores over the Thar. Lovely pictures though.

[Timeline 1967]

Well well well. very well written you are lucky to have a great vehicle which suits to your lifestyle. Enjoy the life with the Thar, since time & age do-not comeback, after all the things in life which we will have are only the experiences and memories, God Bless

[navin]

Originally Posted by ambarkhan

Here is my story with the 2021 Thar Diesel Manual Hard Top after 15 months and 29 000KMS.

Originally Posted by ambarkhan

After 8-9 months of adventures in central India, we headed back to the mountains.

Originally Posted by ambarkhan

Few pics from the unexplored MP and Great Escape Bhopal

Originally Posted by ambarkhan

Planned Mods
Sony DSP + Amp

Mindblowing! Mr Khan, you not only have a passion for the automobile but your photographic skills are exemplary.

Every morning (6 am-7 am), I see a Black Thar parked near where I live. I don't know whose it is, but I love the looks and am jealous of the owner. At my age and physical condition (bad back), I am aware that the suspension of the Thar is not something I can live with. Besides, I barely venture more than 15km away from my apartment (by road, at least). So I must be content to live vicariously through your uploaded images.

I have upgraded the audio of only one open-top (rag-top) vehicle. A 1974 Triumph Spitfire. My experience with that upgrade leads me to believe that a DSP is unnecessary with such vehicles. Road, wind and traffic noise will all but obliterate any bass. So you won't hear it even if the bass is time aligned with the midrange and highs. The same can be extended to the frequency response. A system would be hard-pressed to produce a flat frequency response if it is fighting the elements.

One item you could add is some dust protection to the rear of the speakers. The gap between the magnet and the voice coil of a speaker is in the order of 1-3mm. Any dust that enters this gap will severely affect the speaker's response.

Using closed-cell foam, you could fabricate something resembling what I have linked below.

https://www.crutchfield.com/S-yZQ2uP...1-4-depth.html

Or you could use a plastic bucket (see link below) and some cloth to keep dust out.

https://www.amazon.in/Shayaan-Speake...982F52MV&psc=1

Best of luck.

[shankar.balan]

Originally Posted by Neil Roy

My only gripe with the new Thar is the comfort. It checks on all the other boxes which a travelling wanderer needs. Maybe aftermarket shocks will help to a greater extent. This is where the Gurkha scores over the Thar. Lovely pictures though.

Thar’s stock suspension isn’t good. I upgraded to AVO. The stock headlamps aren’t great either. It is worth changing to Philips Extreme Vision G Force 55W. The underbody protection helps a great deal. It is also a good idea to add a pair of nice Hella Foglamps or similar. Especially when one plans to loaf around in the wilderness. My detailed descriptions of all these appear elsewhere on the forum. Suffice it to say all this are very worthwhile upgrades.

[Axe77]

What an absolutely fantastic thread. Special shout out for the pics - that opening pic completely drew me in to the rest. Have been waiting for this gem to go live.

You're really using the Thar to the fullest too. For scenic touring as well as the more hard core stuff. I'm intrigued by the bike rack you've installed at the back for your maiden desert storm attempt. Care to throw a little more light on that please along with more pics if possible?

Please do keep the pics and updates flowing through. This is a FANTASTIC thread for this magnificent machine.

Wish you many many happy miles of ownership on this.

[HighRevving]

A very inspiring thread indeed! This is how a Thar should be used. I envy the amount of time you have in hand and can spend driving this machine up the mountains.

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

Thar’s stock suspension isn’t good. I upgraded to AVO. The stock headlamps aren’t great either. It is worth changing to Philips Extreme Vision G Force 55W.

When I bought my Thar, I was wondering if I should change the tyres right away to BFGoodrich but I was advised to make good use of the stock tyres which aren't bad in any way. So I have kept that budget for these exact upgrades. The suspension and headlights definitely deserve the upgrade - I generally wait for the first 5,000 KMs or so before I make upgrades just to see if there are any latent defects in the car that can be rectified under warranty.