Bitten By 4x4 Bug. Now I Want One

bhvm · Apr 5, 2017

Hello IR sirji,
Thanks for joining in.

1. Vehicles like MM540, Thar and Gurkha have been excluded due to their over-crudeness. I am a soft soul. I need some decent softness around me. [embarass]

.

2. New Vehicles excluded from the Beginning.

3. It seems Mitsu does not have any service center At Dhule or Jalgaon! That pushes the Service to Either Nashik ( I do not know if Their Nashik SVC is operational. And Even if its operational, We Do not know of their Expertise and Workmanship quality).

Being blessed with the Living in an oddball place, i am always in the Hullabaloo to find decent quality service. Breakdowns are often Back bending and takes hours/Days to get sorted.

So the Service center Envelope from my Home is as follows-
Maruti-10km,50km,90km
Tata- 50Km, 90km,110Km, 170Km,
Mahindra, 50km,110Km, 170Km
Mitsubishi- 170km [frustration]

or 350km

Vipul & IR, do you still suggest Pajero after this?
Let me also be clear that Our local village Mechs won't understand a Hair in Mistus, forget about buying spares and getting things actually fixed. I honestly this is a very big risk if I am to get even a Worth-in-gold-Pajero.

P.s- Won't the MLD be an option in Safari?

Iron Rock · Apr 5, 2017

^^ Gurkha comparatively will be much more refined than MM550/540 if given the right oils.
Btw not considering a gypsy ?

Regarding Pajero forget authorized dealers(or for that matter even other used vehicles), service with someone who has been doing it independently, may be you might have to do this research in your neighborhood - in pune i know a few places. a new mitsu service centre is also coming in pune shortly.

Safari - well just forget it if its offroading you are after

- the weight distribution , the torque on wheels none is really designed for offroading - its a nice highway mile mulcher.

bhvm · Apr 5, 2017

Iron Rock said:

Sirji I guess you forgot that Pune is 350Km to me. Please ponder over that small chart in Upper post. and I live in Village. So Compromises are everywhere. Forget FNGs.

BTW, Won't safari with MLD offer atleast mild off roading like Trail Hunting and visiting Hill stations in Monsoon?
I am aware of Safari's very poor Ramp breakover angle.

Atleast Tatas/ Mahindras can be looked upon within 50Km Service radius.
Gypsy 4x4. Now you got me confused.

kkn13 · Apr 5, 2017

So your options are Grand Vitara, Thar/MM series Jeeps, Safari, Scorpio all factors considered

I think GV ticks most your boxes followed by Safari and Scorpio

Scorpio is fairly easy to work with, we had a few breakdowns with ours on the highway and the local truck mechs managed to work their way around it for a temporary fix
I imagine same can be said for Safari
GV spares might be expensive but procurement, service might be easier than Mitsu etc

Iron Rock · Apr 5, 2017

bhvm said:

I didnt forget sir, hence suggesting do some local mechanic research. Skill will only be known if you walk/talk to them, in villages/small towns usually there wont be a swarm of cars outside to create a perception.

If you want to buy an offroader you should buy an offroader - in my books core cant be compromised, you should compromise luxury,ac etc if needed but not the proper 4x4! In your place with the service issues playing big in your mind , i would say go for gypsy - in 2.5L you will find a decent gypsy king with 1.3litre engine - this would be way more reliable than a tata/mahindra , leaving plenty of moolah for unlimited mods.

Thars are too expensive in used car market too - i dont think price of either a new thar or a old thar is justified. My job is to confuse! [evil]

bhvm · Apr 6, 2017

Gypsy-
Found Only 3 tattered Gypsys. No AC. Vehicles over 10 years old.
Cancelled.

https://www.olx.in/maharashtra/cars/q-gypsy-4x4/

Thar-
Vehicles are attractive. AC available.
But Budget is even more than Safari vx!
Found only one specimen below 6lac. Has High running of 75k Kms.
https://www.olx.in/maharashtra/cars/q-thar-4x4/

GV-
https://www.olx.in/maharashtra/cars/q-grand-vitara-4x4/

No 4x4 GVs found online.

Gurkha-
8 Lacs? Thank you.
https://www.olx.in/maharashtra/cars/q-Gurkha/

Pajero.-
https://www.olx.in/maharashtra/cars/q-pajero/

Budget almost doubles up, even for very older vehicles
Better vehicles are over 13L!
Sorry IR & TSI. I cannot afford that.

Safari-
Flooded with 4x2 options.
Prices are good.
Hard to find 4x4.
https://www.olx.in/maharashtra/cars/q-safari-4x4/

Scorpio-
Need to bargain hard. But options in Budget. High mileage though.
https://www.olx.in/item/mahindra-scorpio-vlx-4wd-airbag-bs-iv-2011-diesel-ID1b1v33.html#42ff5235e4

https://www.olx.in/item/mahindra-scorpio-lx-4wd-bs-iv-2011-diesel-ID1aJzcw.html#42ff5235e4

Now which one?

Prakritij · Apr 6, 2017

As mentioned earlier, you can go for a Gypsy at a low price and get the works done with the remaining budget.
You will thus have a proper 4x4 which will not get stuck compared to the other heavy weights [:D]

and the service center will be near to your home just in case.
Another option is to look into the Tata Xenon Crew Cab 4x4 which has a LSD but may be hard to find and whose rear seats are too upright and comfortless.

kkn13 · Apr 6, 2017

bhvm said:

For GV, you typed "Grand Vitara 4X4" , thats why you couldnt find results-
https://www.olx.in/item/sporty-and-powerful-suzuki-grand-vitara-ID1aJkAx.html#27eb889e78

https://www.olx.in/item/maruti-suzuki-grand-vitara-2007-petrol-ID1aokF5.html#27eb889e78

I simply typed "Grand Vitara" and these two checked out

Same goes for Gypsy-
https://www.olx.in/maharashtra/cars/q-gypsy/

And Thar-
https://www.olx.in/maharashtra/cars/q-thar/

And Safari-
https://www.olx.in/maharashtra/cars/q-safari/

Search results see title , lots of people dont put much in the title but they add 4x4 in description hence why you couldnt see much results [;)]

I think Grand Vitara, Scorpio and Safari are having your cake and eating it too
Road worthy cars, tonnes of mods, after sales wont be an issue and easy on the pocket(except GV major parts, unlikely to go wrong though since its a Japanese CBU, so extremely high quality materials)
Also check for recalls on whichever vehicles such as this-
http://www.thehansindia.com/posts/i...itara-recalled-for-transmission-defect/288891

bhvm · Apr 6, 2017

Yes, people fill in the forms Randomly.
I saw many M&M Jeeps from 90's era being called as thar!
Unfortunately, Most of these models are Non AC and Soft top. AC+Hard top shoots budget way over!
https://www.olx.in/maharashtra/cars/q-thar-ac/

Same issue with Gypsy. Non AC, Too crude. Not good for my allergies.
https://www.olx.in/maharashtra/cars/q-gypsy-AC/

If you say GV, Scorpio & Safari in a same sentence, MY heart says I'll pick the safari.
GV is a softroader with capability not much better than XUV.

Only this version seems to mention 4x4 and has diff locks too!
https://www.olx.in/item/sporty-and-powerful-suzuki-grand-vitara-ID1aJkAx.html#27eb889e78
Is it modified? I never remember GV used to come with OEM Diff locks!

kkn13 · Apr 6, 2017

bhvm said:

Not sure, maybe you can check Team BHP since they have lots of threads on GV off roading
@Mods Sorry if Im not allowed to refer

Safari is of course Safari [;)]

but Varicor 400, absolutely insane engine !! [:D]

though pricey and hard to find

nmm mithra · Apr 9, 2017

How about these bhvm. Found these in teambhp.

http://classifieds.team-bhp.com/buy-used-for-sale/54761/Surat, GJ/2009/Ford/Endeavour.html/

http://classifieds.team-bhp.com/buy-used-for-sale/54991/Kharghar, Navi Mumbai/Ford/Endeavour.html/

I know that these endy is little out of your budget and isn't comfortable in terms of seating and cost of ownership but it has decent features list and a proper 4x4 for soft/tough off-roading with your family. And it is more of proper family off roader than a safari i think.

kkn13 · Apr 9, 2017

My family friend has the older Endeavour, it can cost a bomb to maintain(parts etc) and rear suspension is very bouncy
Otherwise a very capable beast overall

bhvm · Apr 10, 2017

I found a safari VX, 2011 in Pune,
67k Kms driven. Pearl white, Well maintained.

But could not negotiate well. Owner is adamant on 5.2L (offer started at 5.3L) and 100% advance Payment via DD. It was too much to manage.

Looking for other options now.

nmm mithra said:

kkn13 said:

Buddies, we took a very close look at endys when buying our fortuner 3.0 MT. The Suspension Comfort and Ride is very much like a Bolero/ Tempo. The middle row seating is just on the floor! Way too low. Also Price and Maintenance will be a hit or miss. Felt a very much downgrade over the Safari Dicor 3.0L that we used to drive at the time. Double Blind Test (Ladies of the house) said that its a cheaper vehicle compared to our safari! [frustration]

nmm mithra · Apr 10, 2017

bhvm said:

What you said is correct but when the suspension comfort is like the bolero then only its a true off-roader otherwise we would spend lakhs and lakhs to replace the soft suspension after each and every off-road/ soft off-road drive. So if you want an off-road vehicle then suspension must be little rigid (not leaf spring suspension) than the other vehicles so that it lasts long after several off-roading.

bhvm · Apr 11, 2017

I remember older 2.5L used to come with leaf springs only. don't know about thee 3.0s.

Bitten By 4x4 Bug. Now I Want One

bhvm

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Iron Rock

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