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-   -   Tata Safari 2.2 EX 4x4: EDIT: Changed chassis munching miles now (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/test-drives-initial-ownership-reports/61462-tata-safari-2-2-ex-4x4-edit-changed-chassis-munching-miles-now-5.html)

I read the entire thread with horrified fascination, but at the Bullet comment, and as a Bullet owner, I had to burst out laughing at this remark. At the same time, I can sense the depth of feeling. That such a thing can happen in 2009 in a metro is a scandal. I wish you luck in resolving all your issues. Maybe you should call the press to write a story about this - that will catch some attention in Tata Motors corporate ivory towers.

As I read the whole episode - its a clear evidence of high-handedness of TATA Motors and clearly outline the thick skin they have.

1. Rather then owning up the problem customer reported, they made him run around the workshop/ppl etc - and everyone just trying to prove that there is no problem.

2. It seems that only way to work with TATA is keep lungs open and more lungs the better - the outcome would be just that with enhanced lung power the TATA motors would atleast listen and do the job they were supposed to do.

3. STRONG advise to anyone who is considering buying TATA vehicles - DON"T BUY IF PEACE OF MIND IS IMPORTANT TO YOU ! - To talk on TEAM-BHP TO SHARE expereince etc is one thing but being online to share constant fraustation and using it a steam let off excercise is another.

TEAM-BHP is only place where I can talk about the my problem with TATA and atleast get some ppls sympathetic ears. TATA dealers/TATA Motors don't care, my friends/family start off saying " We told you so - why did you waste 10 lakh on TATA?"

Thank you TEAM-BHP for patient listing and providing the platform for us TATA Motors customers. Do you guys think we can form a customer voice/forum to have greater say with TATA Motors?

If you were familiar with Tata Motors, you would see that the internal workings of the company are still in the stone age - the pre liberalization India, when anything you made, you were able to sell. There is a lot more talk and a lot less action on the various shop floors on process quality, a lot of their quality moves tend to be on the inspected in quality, and that always leaves a lot of holes. The only way for them to learn is for their products to not sell, but clearly they are able to still thrive in places where there is no good alternate available to the customer. And by doing all the warranty replacement sticking plaster kind of patch ups to cover the holes. The senior managers there tend to be younger and more responsive - try Rajeev Dube for example, or you can even write to Ratan Tata. The problem they have is that if they intervene, things happen, but that is not how a volume manufacturer can operate. Good luck!

Sad story. I can imagine how disappointing and frustrating it must be after one pays so much for a dream vehicle.

I had a couple of questions, may be the TBHP gurus can answer. If Concorde people had damaged this vehicle by using 4X4 on tarmac (I remember reading on other threads that TASS people seem to think that 4X4H is meant for use at high speeds on tarmac!), would the Safari even move? Would'nt such serious transmission damage be very easily evident when you drive?

And most importantly, how does a customer even check for such abuse before one drives out of the showroom, especially someone (like me) who is not well-versed in automotive mechanics?

This one beats even the Bullet comment for the most hilarious thing I heard todayclap:

I would suggest the forming of a team of TBHPians in every city to address different issues related to different brands. For example each team could have 2-3 people who can physically devote time to assist other fellow TBHPians in various issues like delivery, warranty and maintenance with each person assigned to one or more issues.

Also the team can be formed based on the technical knowledge and contacts of the people about different brands.

I can take up all the issues with TATA and Skoda brands at Bangalore as I happen to know the cars a fair bit and a few people at both these brands..

All ears....:)

Hi Tejas,
I will wait for your call and probably meet you for one final check up once it is delivered to you today. I m pretty sure that all the, well all the major troubles with your beautiful truck have come to an end.:)

Oh, I forgot congratulate you, It looks really awesome in black with those alloys and the 4X4 stickers on the flanks...post a few pics mate....:thumbs up

Thank you Khan_Sultan, Happy Wheels and Condor for your appreciation.clap:

I am ready to volunteer for any more Tata and Skoda issues at Bangalore as well.:)

Dev,

I just spoke to your favorite TASS. He said that by noon, he should be able to get the car. Once I get it, I will come over to your office.

Thanks a lot for the wishes, I will post some pics soon!

I was about to write three wives but then had to revert it as my first wife saw the post and had to revert it :D.

I do not understand how the dealers can be so crooked! They are playing with some one's hard earned money which they don't realize. I could have at least made a down payment for a house. Anyways, I hope that it will be better now. If I get a problem ever again, I will surely go to the press and let the people know that tata + concorde are a deadly combination. People should be aware of what they are getting into. Thanks to Dev whose knowledge helped me a lot else I think that I would have been stuck forever.

Yes! I would really like to thank Team-Bhp for all the help and support especially Dev. I hope that I can use this experience to help out other guys on this forum with this truck. Since I had a Santro before, I never had to go to the Service Center at all but hey thanks to this truck at least I know what people need to look at. For people like me who have not gone under the hood to ask questions but who have been just driving for say 15 yrs, this has been an eye opener. In due course of time, I will probably learn a lot more about this truck and I hope that it will be useful.

Hope everything goes fine.

Dev ::thumbs up

And how about some pix this time.

To my knowledge, the truck will move but since the traction is more the tyres will wear out faster. There shouldn't be a transmission damage is what I think.

I would now say that a customer should take along a person like Dev for a PDI. I am sure that there will be a lot of team-bhpians who will surely help you out.

Before chassis change : One of my first and I think the only pic:

There will certainly be an abnormal amount of stress on the transmission because the car does not have a center differential that can accomodate different rpm for the two axles. How much that stress will cause damage is hard to say. Worst case situation, the drive line can actually break - the good thing is that this is easy to detect! Other lesser damage, I have no clue as to how to ascertain.

Wouldn't that happen on abnormal/jungle roads either? I am just curious, I am not an automobile expert.

Transmission windup will happen only when the road is such that there is not enough opportunity for slipping. So if you are driving on a dirt trail, snow etc., the tires can easily slip.
However on smooth tarmac, stress can build up quickly.

This is why Safari still has so many lovers...clap:

Just look at it...Wow is all you can say....majestic, sophisticated, yet cool....:thumbs up

Heres the thing - when the two axles want to rotate at different RPM while the car is turning, they are not able to do so, because there is no center differential to accomodate that. So something has to break - on a slippery road, the break happens at the tyre contact with the road, allowing the front axle to rotate faster. If the tyre contact is very solid, as on tarmac, the stress goes back into the driveline, and if you keep at it long enough, it breaks.

Dude, what is the date of manufacture of your safari- From may 2009 onwards, all safaris are coming with ORVM mounted indicators, and yours seems to have been froma lot before that. Please ensire that you have not been sold an old stock