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-   -   Tata Safari- Bringing the black monster home! (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/test-drives-initial-ownership-reports/96794-tata-safari-bringing-black-monster-home-2.html)

@amolpol

Congrats on the buy and the car looks great in that field.

Do you find the gear ratios irritating or "ok"?

How do you find the suspension?

Extremely detailed writeup and an engrossing read too.

Many congratulations on the smoking hot buy.:)

The picture is wallpaper-material.:D

Thanks Autocop and Recompose!

@ VW2010, the suspension is actually pretty neat, it handles quite well on bad roads and even while cornering. They could have stiffened it a bit more for high speed corners, but that would have killed the ride quality otherwise.

The gear ratios are big for city driving i feel, but it's manageable. The first gear is really just to pull the car from inertia, i like the 3rd gear since it has a good speed range. Empty city roads are easily taken on the 4th gear but I dont end up putting the 5th gear unless its the mysore highway. The thing i like is that even at 100kph, the tacho will show only around 2500 rpm, so you know its a good cruising speed upto 120kph.

Congrats on the Beast. And with just 7 posts under your belt, its a great way to start.

The Safari is one of my favorites and am planning to pick it up next for long drives and weekends, and my wife is also extremely fond of it, We have had a Safari in the family and loved every bit of it.

Keep the posts coming

Its been 5 months since I have the monster in the garage and 7k+ on the odo. 80% of the drives have been highway trips and the rest 20% in the unruly Bangalore traffic. I remember doing a trip to BIAL the very next day after I got it and quickly got acclimatized to the new driving position and the overtaking power etc. I had a grin on my face that day which can be seen even today.

Next up was a trip to Tirupati, I wanted to get the permanent license plates before I took it out of state. However, I ended up driving with temporary registration since the plates were taking longer than expected. I had the taken down the number from the dealership person at the time of registration, so that was my backup plan in case there is any trouble.

The trip made me realize a few things that needed urgent attention.

1. The stock lights were bad and I mean really bad. I ended up doing 60kph on stretches where it rained in the evening.

2. My hopes of upgrading the ICE in stages may not be realistic. I was planning to put in the amp and sub from my previous car and only upgrade the front speakers as a first step and then later on add another set for the rear doors and then finally get a mono for the sub. But, the stock ICE was way below my expectations and was crying out loud for a change.

3. The rear visibility was almost nil when you decide to park in tight spots. For the first time I realized that I needed parking assistance.

Upgrading the ICE

So after the trip, I end up at Autoshop with the step upgrade plan for the ICE. The stock HU was single RCA and that drained out all my plans. So now there was no choice but to upgrade everything once and for all. My wife loves good music in the car (sometimes we go on drives just to listen to the new tracks!) so this wasn’t a tough approval to get. Now, the budget became flexible, but the configuration wasn’t the easiest of choices.

I had decided on the Infinity kappa 62.9i components already. The initial plan was to get only the front ones and drive it through the amp with 2 channels for the sub. The rear doors were supposed to have the stock speakers until the next upgrade. Now, if I got two sets of compos I needed a mono to drive the amp, so I get a JBL mono (GTO3501 I guess). Kumar showed me the 62.7i which were the same as components but with a tweeter mounted on it. The crossovers etc looked exactly the same as the 62.9i so I didn’t have any issues with the change. The sub was in a ported enclosure from my earlier car with a boot, but now I needed a sealed sub to keep a tighter bass. Final configuration was to be, kappa 62.9i (front), 62.7i (rear), Blaupunkt GTA475 for the compos, JBL 3501 for the sub and a JBL 1000W sealed sub.

Now, it was for the HU to be finalized. I was initially planning on installing a DVD player with dual zone capability so I could have the baby watch her videos while I played my tracks. I didn’t want the motorized pop up screen since I felt it would be too close to the gear stick and may hamper operation as well as gear shifts. Tata needs to make good use of the center console, its just too badly organized right now I feel. A 2 din player would have been apt for such a big car with placement a bit higher than what it is right now. My primary requirement was independent sub control which ruled out all 2 RCA pre-outs. I couldn’t find any decent system with DVD, 3 RCA and dual zone. Kumar suggested that I can put in a stand alone DVD player in the headrest later on if required. This wasn’t the ideal solution but I didn’t really care about the DVD until I could listen to my music. I kept this idea on hold for now since my daughter was not even 1 at that time, so she could wait to get her screen.

With the DVD idea out of the way, it was now much easy for me to give in to a Pioneer 7150UB. I’ve been using older versions of these right from the Indigo to the i10 and now the Safari. Finally, the configuration got ready for installation. I added a Hiker reverse camera with 4 sensors, sunfilm and a pair of Osram nightbreakers to the list and waited patiently while the installers did their job. The install was clean as always and I had no complaints. The system sounded just right for the car and I’m enjoying every bit of it. The reverse camera is a boon and parking or reversing is a breeze with good visibility and distance indications.

First service nightmare

I finished 1000kms in a week and left it for the first service at Prerana. The manager knows me well and he was all set to take “good” care of my baby (Tata ishtyle). The sales guy had broken the cover for the 12V socket at the time of delivery, so I told the service advisor to get it replaced. He said they will need to replace the whole panel as it is an integrated part of it. I told him to speak to the dealership and get it done FOC. There wasn’t much to be done otherwise in that service. The brake lights had gotten disconnected during the rear camera install so they just needed to plug those back. I asked them to get the lights calibrated to be inline. In the evening, they called me at 5pm to ask for the address for delivery. I was quite happy with the whole experience until the guy called me again at 6pm saying that he was on the way and realized that the A/C wasn’t working. Seemed like they had messed up something with the temp control switch while fitting the center console. So he takes it back to the service center and the manager calls me to let me know that he’s on top of it and will get it fixed and deliver the car on the same day. I was okay without the car and told him its okay to get it tomorrow, but he insisted. The guy comes at 8.30pm to deliver the car and he told me everything was fine with the A/C.

Next day, I take the car out and am trying to fit the faceplate for the system. It isn’t fitting in, so I try for a while and then realized that the system was fitted upside down. The jokers didn’t realize that they stuffed the system the other way round while doing the job in a hurry. I called the manager and he was expecting a big “shabaash” since he delivered it on the same day. Instead, he ended up saying sorry for all that his guys had done. He followed up with me for the entire next week to get the car back to his service center so he could fix the issue. This is a classic Tata mishap with the ASCs and I’ve learnt it over the years on how to handle them “well” now. I’ve tried different ASCs but I guess they are very calibrated in their lousiness and poor quality until you breathe down their necks.

I keep feeling that the A/C cooling has dropped every since but the ASC denies that there’s an issue. The front of the cabin doesn’t cool when its really sunny outside. Not sure if I need the windscreen sunfilm to correct this issue, but I feel it might be the A/C. Would want some advise on this from others since I never feel chilly inside the cabin even with the compressor on full load.

After the service incident, there hasn’t been any major issue with the car until now. I’m thinking of getting an oil change done now instead of waiting till 15k kms. Wanted to know how much of damage to expect on the pocket.

Highway trips until now:

Bangalore – Tirupati – Bangalore
Bangalore – Velankanni – Bangalore
Bangalore – Chennai – Bangalore
Bangalore – Kalahatty – Bangalore
And numerous regular trips to Bandipur and Kabini JLR

Keep Driving!

Yes, even I love the way she can overtake. You're in the power band (>2krpm) and the sedan ahead of you tries to accelerate to prevent you from overtaking, and one push to the pedal and the Safari just thunders past - 'there she goes, with the wind in her hair'... :-)

My black ex cools to a slight chill at position '2' when the sun is hot outside. When it isn't too hot outside, position '1' finds me comfortable. Your comfort level may vary, but if it isn't chilling even in '3', definitely something is wrong. Also ensure the temp knob is at blue and not inbetween somewhere also and vents are open.

I did oil change during second service at 6000kms, the oil change alone costs a little less than Rs.2000.

And yes, the TASS is a joke to a good extent. They seem to fix 3 items and break something else. :(

Congrats Amol for the beast and welcome to the Urban Jungle Safari Club.

It indeed is one of the best vehicles of its class at this price band and has a lot of followers, Niggles and Issues are part and parcel of this beasty beauty.

Happy Driving!

This summer is too prickly HOT. It eventually takes some time to cool the cabin, but certainly you would not have less cooling.

I too had the same trouble with few bunch of jokers working at T.A.S.C,. they screwed up with my Safari's fan control switch, Speed 1 -2 -3 was not working on one of my trip to Boodipadaga forest range, much to the ire of my folks at home had to spend the rest of the trip using the roof mounted blower and the front blower creating a havoc in speed 4:Frustrati

This issue was fixed within a minute after i came back.

The TATA service is good, but utterly in a dis-array. But thats OK, others are equally as good.:thumbs up

Amol,

AC cooling is a problem. Not sure for all Safaris as a whole for just a selected few people. I took the delivery of my Safari just yesterday evening. Today while driving in the afternoon, i could feel that it was not cooling much. Even I had run the fan at 3 but to no avail. :(.
I am pretty sure that my Alto cools faster and better than the Safari.. I was on the road for around one and half hours and that was pretty long time to cool the big truck.. But that never happened.. :(

Amol & Recker - hope the blue A/C lamp is "on". One of the days, i too was wondering why i was feeling hot and humid inside my safari despite being on the hot summer roads for more than 20 minutes, but realised that i had pressed only the button having "internal circulation" as opposed to pressing the A/C switch also on. Once i switched this on, the Cabin cooled in a flat 5 minutes with the blower on position 2.

Secondly, in my car, i had the issue of the A/C switch not getting depressed fully causing me to drive without A/C for the first week of purchase, which was promptly replaced by Concorde.

Hi Amol,
Congratulation for the Black Beauty (dont know how to say it consider it a Male!, well Tall Dark and Handsome doesn't suite like a BB)
If possible can you please share the OTR cost and breakup of your Safari EX. Yes, at 15% the registration costs would be too high in Bangalore, but wanted to know how much it costs extra over the ex-showroom price.

ditto, although I feel that the cars in front of you dont really want to mess around given the size of the monster in their rearview mirror

I usually keep the fan speed at 1 in the evenings and 2 in the afternoons. But when i'm on highway drives and the sun is shining bright, the front cabin starts feeling hot if its sunny inside on teh dashboard. This goes to a point where it feels as if the a/c has just stopped. Pushing the fan to 3 doesnt help much plus it raises the noise levels so I dont want to keep it there. While I'm burning at the wheel, the middle-benchers are kept cool and my wife doesnt really complain of the a/c which is why I was thinking of the front sunfilm. Not sure if there are others who feel the same issue, but i've had other cars and have never had this issue. Not sure if its the big windscreen and/or the angle of the screen which exposes the driver and front passenger to a lot of heat radiation.

Thanks, this has been on my mind but its already 9k kms. Will leave it for an oil change and 3m cleaning this week.

you bet!

thanks for the warm welcome. What i like for sure is the cult thing about the Safari. You hate it but you still cant live without it. Something that i've been so used to with the enfield, so for me the story just continues with 4 wheels now.


I'm going to try the ASC route again and ask them to check if everything is okay. But given that the rear passengers dont feel the heat, I'm not sure if its windscreen or the a/c.

BTW, it was nice meeting you today.

see if you get a chill with the a/c in the evening/night, that would confirm that its cooling atleast. If you park it out in the sun, it makes it more difficult for the a/c to get to a chill. I'm not sure I've seen people commenting that the Safari a/c is a chiller but I may be wrong here.

the a/c lamp is on for sure since it cools behind.


all my vehicles have always been a "she". It helps me bond better you see :). The OTR cost was just under 10L AFAIK, it was all done on my company scheme so things may be different I believe.

Congrats Amol for the new Safari. She looks pretty awesome. Personally, I would put a couple of Hellas up front as soon as I can.

Reading your posts is making me waver buddy :) I am on the lookout for a new SUV and I was planning to go in for a 2005 or 2006 Pajero 2.8 with about 40k- 50k on the clock. But now my heart aches for a new Safari 2.2. I dont know what to do now

well, the pajero was and always will be on my list. Good luck on your search!

on the hellas, i badly need the aux lights but have been thinking of getting the lightforce ones. They're amazingly lightweight and could be mounted easily with a clamp on the bumper. the hellas would need a bull guard and that would add another 10-12 inches in the front which is bad for my parking space. Hopefully, i'll save some vitamin M over the next couple of months for them.

Last week I dropped the monster at the ASC for a second service. No major issues were to be rectified. Here's a quick list of things that were to be reviewed:

• i wanted to do an oil change rather than waiting for the 15k suggested mark.
• the car needed some interior cleaning since its done quite a few places already and seats have stains etc
• general service items to check if everything was working okay

The car was to be ready by evening but my SA told me that the washing motor pump wasnt working well that day so he can get a good cleaning job done the next day and I could take it back next morning. I didnt have any hurry to get the car back and next day was fine.

Now, I go next day and the car's ready (i had received an sms that same evening that it was ready), so no issues at all. Picked up the car and paid 2.6k for oil change and some other routine things on the bill, nothing that caught my eye.

My initial reaction was, no major difference in the car post service. This is good in case of Tata since it means that they've not screwed up other things in the car. So I promptly rate them good on the survey etc etc. But the truth was yet to be discovered.:Frustrati

Fast forward to the day after service,

• I suddenly notice that the A/C doesnt work, the compressor comes on, but no air in the blowers. The rear blower was working though. So then I increase the fan speed to 3 and there's a sudden gush of air, then i move it to 1 and 2, and it works! I call up my SA and tell him about it, and the voice on the other end says "Dont worry saar, its a usual problem with the A/C resistor in the safari. Let me see if I have the part, we can get it replaced. (talks to his store guys while I'm online and confirms that its available.) Come anytime saar, it will take 4hrs, but we'll get it done pakka job"
• There is some squeaky noise coming from teh boot area. I initially thought that they must have not locked the rear seats properly after the cleaning process. However, even after readjusting the seats a couple of times, the squeaks dont seem to stop! I wonder if its something within the cabin that needs a WD40 treatment or its the rear left suspension thats causing the noise.

Now I have to take it back sometime this week and hopefully I dont end up with newer issues.:Shockked: