My Mahindra Thar story till now…………..
Dear friends please let me know if I am in a wrong thread as this is my first post
I am a SUV enthusiast waiting from last 15 years to possess one of my own. The time has come now from past 5 months, as I have completed my basic responsibilities. I currently have 2006 Indica V2 turbo DLX and was looking to upgrade to SUV with 100+ BHP, diesel engine & 4WD. However the issue is with my parking space.
The downward entry to the basement has height constraints and a big SUV may not pass, or while getting down after the front wheel passes the roof may get scrapped. Further to reach my parking slot the vehicle has to maneuver through a small maze of pillars and along side other parked cars and then take a perpendicular right turn to park in the slot, this again is a constraint for big SUVs.
This parking situation was holding me back to go for SUV until in late Dec 2010 when MM Thar was launched, which opened my aspirations again in terms of its power, 4WD, compactness & a short turning radius.
Immediately I got in touch with India Garage st marks Rd, the person said that Thar was on display and visited the show room on 25-Dec-2010. To my surprise TD was also available, it was a smooth and short drive, drivability was fantastic in the city, just like driving a scorpio. The only drawback was the interiors, no A/c & soft top (lot of water has flown already in this thread)
I felt that for the kind of utility Thar is meant, the other aspects were only secondary or tertiary issues.
I updated the sales executive about my parking issue and asked him to get the TD Thar to my apartment and check if it manages to enter my basement and turn through the pillars to fit in the parking space.
I assured him that post this possibility I will place my booking order, for which he agreed to bring the vehicle after a week when the TD vehicle will be free.
Back of my mind I thought that I will retain my Indica and add on Thar for my long time passion, but had no information about its overall performance to assert this thought as a 15 min test drive in city gave almost zero info. Soon after reaching home searched TBHP for review or further info, but all I could get was news about Thar launch and few pics
After a week or so of my visit to show room in 2nd week of Jan 2011, I was browsing TBHP again and this time Khan & Tejas had posted a detailed review of Thar, an excellent description whatever I was searching to know and a lot more details.
With this I was convinced that Thar is the one which I should get for me and retain the Indica for compensating to what Thar lacks. I got in touch with the sales guy again to check if he can bring the vehicle to my apartment as parking space was the last block between me and Thar now.
He told that vehicle was not available to bring home and there were lot of bookings around 90, may be he can bring the TD vehicle when the delivery batch reaches, I waited till 22-Jan but no response.
Then I visited the show room again on 5 -Feb to pursue this matter, but this time he told that there is delay in delivering the booked vehicles due to production delay and also the booking has been stopped till end of March. Now there was no vehicle available to check on my parking issue, but this time I made him understand seriously that it was the only issue that is holding me from booking Thar.
On 9-Feb I got a call from the showroom by another sales person that though the bookings were closed he can arrange to take my booking on a previous date. As I was reading all the posts in this thread and was aware of the happenings with Speedy and others in getting their Thar, I told him that I will get back to him on this type of booking on a previous date.
On my part to assess the parking space I have requested my office cab driver to try this out with his Tata Sumo, as all other vehicles in my small apartment are sedans/hatchbacks. I should be getting the result by tomorrow & if it is positive the, hopefully Thar will also be able to make it.
I am confident that you all fabulous people here will definitely help me and take me forward from this present situation in bringing a Thar home and hopefully in creating a wonderful looking Thar........
With my sincere regards,
Dr GB