Thar

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/4x4-vehicles/155535-big-bull-my-mahindra-thar-experience-some-mods.html

Dear All,

First of all, I would like to thank Team-BHP for providing an opportunity to gain immense knowledge about a vehicle before finalising. For the past few weeks, I went through most of the threads pertaining to Thar and we have loads of information here. A BIG thanks to all the contributors. I want to do my bit by posting my ownership experience and details about little mods which I did which may help other fellow members. It is going to be little long as I will try and cover as much information in one shot.

First big question - Am I mad to buy a Thar ? I asked this question myself and many known people would have thought the same about me - because, I have sold my Ford Fiesta 1.6 Sxi Petrol to buy this Car !! - I guess I am not mad or Crazy as I took a well informed decision (atleast within myself) to go for it fully aware of what vehicle is it.

Ok, why did I buy this ? what made me to take this decision and why did I sell my Fiesta ? - Well, It is a Jeep thing Ok, a dream to own a Jeep has been from my childhood - I saw jeeps on the road, hill stations and thought, one day I should own it and drive. Recently this bug started bitting me more and started reading lots of stuff in Team-BHP about Thar. At the end it is a "Heart" thing - I just went for it.

At the same time, I cannot afford to keep two cars and also I do not need two cars. So, took a very hard decision against my younger daughter's wish and sold off my Fiesta (4.5 years old, 33000kms done) to one of my residential community member and funded it for Thar. (My wife and my elder daughter got convinced to an extent, but the younger one is not convinced even today)

But, the reality is, I bought it and I am using it as my One and Only Four wheeler - Now the answer to the thread title - Big Bull - My Enfield TBTS Red and my new Thar is very similar in colour and probably similar in Characteristics !! In my opinion, only few passionate people will buy and drive these type of vehicles - similar blood line - So, Big Bull it is for my THAR.

There were lots of negatives about having Thar as our only Vehicle - I had no choice if I had to own one - I had to compromise, but, on the other hand, I want to make it as comfortable as possible to use it as my only vehicle and also for my family. I am confident of achieving this to an extent, eventhough with some compromises - Let us see how far I can go with this.. It is all a question of adaptability which I am willing to.

90% Daily drive & 10 offroad - This is my requirement and I will slowly engage with fellow jeepers and start doing some offroading and enjoy the thrills.

Buying experience :

• • Engaged with India Garage, Chennai and test drove the vehicle (actually I made up mind and the test drive was just an eye wash anyway)

  • They had a White, Rocky Biege and Silver ready in stock - But my family preferred a Red, because my bike is Red

  • Booked by paying Rs. 25000 advance and the second day it was invoiced from Nashik Plant

  • It took 10 days to reach India Garage Poonamalle works

  • They brought the vehicle to their showroom in the city for PDI by me

  • Did an extensive PRI (pre-registration inspection) and identified only problem with coolant leak

  • They took the vehicle back to their works and did a great job of quickly arresting it, road tested it and satisfactorily delivered it

  • The sales guy and the PDI service person was extremely helpful and I had a great experience with them

  • On Road price was around 8.55 Lakhs

  • Negotiated Rs. 7500 as accessory discount + Rs. 4000 as Corporate discount totalling Rs. 11500. But, I availed Rs. 9000 as cash discount and used the balance Rs. 2500 to buy their Insect Mesh and Head Lamp Grill.

  • I opted for external Tata AIG insurance with 50% NCB which worked out to Rs. 14300 against a full insurance quoted by the dealer of Rs. 26000

  • Eventually my OTR was around 8.35 Lakhs and I was happy.

Vehicle at their yard before registration

Took delivery on Ganesh Chaturthi day - It was a holiday for India Garage, but they accomodated the delivery as a special case. But, later learnt that they have 9 more deliveries lined up as many customers preferred that day.

They did a small Pooja for the vehicle and I thanked all of them and gave a little token gift to my sales person (Me to the left with the sling bag)

Took the vehicle straight to BP gas station in St.Mary's Road and filled up 40 litres of Diesel (That is what it took as I guess the dealer had filled 20 litres already)

Then took the vehicle to 3M Car Care for a Underbody coat

It costed me Rs. 3390

The 3M car care is a new facility in OMR, Chennai and the staff headed by Mr.Srivant and service Head Ganesh did a very good job in taking care of my new Thar and delivered it perfectly. The process was as follows :

• • They washed the under body thoroughly

  • Covered few parts with sheets which does not require coating

  • Then sprayed each and every portion of the Sheet metal visible under the body and also under the wheel wells

  • Did cleaning and delivered

@ 3M

Only after that, I brought it home and my family was very excited to see the new Jeep and since it was a holiday, many little kids in the apartment complex surrounded it with awe. Very happy to see their excited faces.

The next day, I took my family to a temple in Mahabalipuram and had break fast and retured. My Dad sat in the front and my wife, 2 daughters and mom sat at the back. Since it was a nice road and short drive, there were no complaints and they enjoyed it. My Mom (73 years) could climb from back OK. But, for some elderly people, you may have to give them a helping hand.

My experience with the vehicle :

• • Sitting and driving position of the vehicle is extremely good.

  • Great Visibility and top of the world feeling

  • Off centre steering - I got used to it in a couple of minutes and I do not find any problems whatsover

  • Very little squeaking noises which I can fix soon

  • The A/C is extremely good for now with three levels. I just use only level 1 for now and Thermostat at 75% coolest

  • Rear seat comfort - my family did not complain. But, for the long drive, I do not know and I am sure it will not be as comfortable as a front facing seat

  • The OE headlights are powerful enough. But, I still added a pair of Driving lamps, just in case

  • It is so easy to drive the vehicle in city traffic. Just need to put it on 2nd gear and it moves smoothly

  • I did not take it so far beyond 2200 rpm and trying to tune the engine - I have completed only 700 kms so far.

  • The engine is extremely responsive and there is abundance of power

  • The gear box is smooth and easy to operate - sometimes, the reverse gear is an issue and we need to change to some other gear, before trying reverse, then it slots !

  • The clutch pedal is pretty good and not tight

  • The brakes are good, but they are not as crisp as some of the cars, but manageable

  • The metal is solid and the paint quality is really good

  • The OE Bridgestone H/T tyres are good enough for my purpose and I did not upgrade (I wanted to retain the Black steel rim looks)

The Drive :

• • Just idle it for a minute as per guideline and start, the engine comes to life nicely

  • The engine sound is nice and smooth

  • The vehicle can be easily moved using 2nd gear from stops in city traffic which is pretty comfortable

  • The pickup is extremely good and very smooth. But, currently I am not revving beyond 2200 rpm and will gradually increase

  • There is a difference is smoothness of the engine and I feel it is extremely good at 2000 rpm. for now

  • The vehicle is nice an stable as I have not pushed it beyond 90 kmph

  • The steering is responsive and I am used to the handling now, pretty easy and just like a car

  • The roads leading to my apartment are dug up for Metro and Sewage work and I am already enjoying Off Roading everyday with the front IFS doing its job nice and smooth

  • The brakes are not Great, but good, and I had a Panic braking once and the vehicle stopped as required

What I do not like :

• • The flapping noise of the canopy over 70 kmph is annoying

  • The OE horns are less effective

  • The front seats could have been better, i.e., more cushioning and supports - It looks really flat

  • The door locks, sometimes it does not lock in one try, need to check and correct

  • The dust which comes through the back flap is bad. Need to do some mod to make it flush fit

  • The windows glasses are very reflective and it gives you an illusion that there is some vehicle to your right, whereas the actual vehicle is on the left side - need time to adjust as it is a problem in highly reflective sunlight

  • The external noise - My younger daughter hates it and that is why she calls Thar, an Autorickshaw

  • .The A/C blower vents are very tough to direct towards the driver, just managing now and need to find a way

  • The coolant has gone down by 2 cms since I took delivery (700 kms run) - I am monitoring it

  • Overall the interior quality looks very bare bone - Cheap quality plastics, door handles, door knobs, window winders etc.,

  • The dash board console has gaps and does not look very professionaly fit

  • There are no internal lining/pads on the rear door, it is just bare metal - M&M could have done up the interior a bit more

  • Many of the exposed nuts and bolts on the Hood and Fenders need to be cared for, or else, they will rust quickly

  • They could have provided a safety nut for the spare wheel, it looks awkward to put a number lock which we use for suitcases !

  • The wiper blades sometimes goes back and rest on the Windshield rubber beeding after use. Need to correct

  • The rear suspension is a problem as the vehicle jumps. I have reduced the air pressure to 32 psi and it seems better now. But when driven with additional load, it was not bad at all

So, how to make it better as It is my only Drive !

Extensive reading of Thar Threads and modifications done by our fellow members inspired me and I started taking some quick steps in that direction. I would like to thank our forum members with whom I communicated and some from whose posts, I just got the ideas - SJCherian, 4x4addict, davidashish, cpbopanna, manveet, carot_eater, Rajith, Samwagon, Thar4x4, Desertfox, Thar'ed and also Behram Sir for commenting on some my earlier posts about Thar and guidance.

Modifications/Changes : (limited budget mods was my Mantra)

Added a Hella Red Grill Horn (I wanted something which is not too loud)

Cost - Rs. 1100

Added a Super Sport Driving Lamp - I considered Hella 500FF which was costing Rs. 5000, but settled on this Taiwanese one which costed - Rs. 1600 per pair (my usage may not warrant a Hella)

Horn Wiring Relay - Rs. 375

Labour - Rs. 600 including 2 separate switches

Got this work done from M&M before delivery

All Parts bought from G.P. Road - Varity Auto Accessories - Mr.Sonu

Fixed the Lights on the existing bolt location in the plastic sheet connecting the Chassis and the front bumper - I wanted it in a lower position than the Head Lights and since I did not go for a revised bumper/bull bar, this location was fitting perfect and It does not rattle Two switches fixed nicely inside the dash for Horn and extra light

Hella red grills as not too loud, but much better than the factory horns

Also added a 12V charger to the setup

Bought Noodle mat at Rs. 75 per sq.ft and I think I bought around 30 sq.ft to cover the floor. I used the rubber mat template which came from the factory to cut this to size. This is a rugged mat, but not to 3M's quality - BTW 3M charges 240 per sq.ft. This really keeps the car clean without any marks - reasonable cost and good stuff

Bought a Pioneer DEH-X3690UI head unit for Rs. 4900 and fixed it

Two sets of wires up to behind the front seats and I have placed 2 x Yamaha Home theatre surround sound speakers for the time being. I will later try and fix my Focal amp and my components.

Rear Number plate - I did not like the white bill board stuff and I wanted to integrate the number plate to the existing rear bumperette

Dismantled the pieces and took it to a iron grill fabricator

He removed the welded bolting clamps from the bumper

Placed the whilte board on the bumper, marked positions for bulb holes, number plate holes etc., drilled the holes

Fitted the light straight on to the bumper, fixed the number plate and done - back on to the jeep

Costed Rs. 100 for the work, now it looks very integrated

Centre Arm Rest - Courtesy - Samwagon thread

Cost - Rs. 850

Assembled the arm rest

Cut a small plywood to size for the floor (behind the hand brake)

Used the existing 3 holes behind the hand brake lever on the upper floor to fix the plywood

I had to crawl under the vehicle to tighten the bolts, but it was a quick work

Next comes the big thing.. How to arrest some external noise and also how to improve efficiency by making A/C more effective ?

I know it can never come close to my earlier car in sound levels unless I put a Hard top - I may do a HT later, but definetely not for the next 15 months or so, as I cannot afford it now - So, till then, how to insulate it atleast a little - Budget allocated Rs. 5000. I wanted to take the chance. Two key posts gave me the direction - One from Rajith who did an insulation at Thodupuzzha using Rexine and Thermocol foam and Davidashish using Cork Board and foam

Researched and came out with this idea :

6mm Water proof plywood for the base support

10mm Nitrile Rubber Foam also called the Elastomeric foam which they use in HVAC to provide both Thermal and Sound insulation. I looked into various products like Thermocol, regular foams, Rock wool, Glass wool etc., Considering it is a pure DIY effort, Rock wool and Glass wool were side lined and also they did not fit the budget(also Rock and Glass wool are given in big bundles which I do not need). This Nitrile foam provided the best of all worlds and was within the total budget. Also, the nitrile foam I bought is Fire Safety Class O which is good

Bought rubber adhesives and needed quantity of Black roof upholstery fabric - just to match the interiors of the jeep

Started removing the Canopy at 7 a.m. on Saturday (13th September) and completed the task by 1 a.m. Sunday -

Step by Step guide on what I did :

Materials used :

• 6mm Water proof plywood - Sharonply

• 10mm Nitrile rubber foam - Class 0 fire safety

• 4 x 1 Clear acrylic sheets x 2

• Black roof lining upholstery cloth

• Rubber based adhesive (Fevicol SR998 or Stag Brand)

• 1 1/2" bolts

• 1" U clamps twisted to fit the poles and plywood

• 4 x 2 x 2 pcs 4mm foam board (for roof)

Costs of Material :

6mm plywood (8x4 size) - Rs. 1800

10mm Nitrile Rubber foam (1 metre x 6 metre) - Rs. 1800

3mm Acrylic Sheets 2 Nos (4' x 1') - Rs. 800

4mm Foam Board 2 Nos (4' x 2') - Rs. 400

Adhesives, bolts, clamps Rs. 500

Fabric (6' width x 2.5 metres) - Rs. 400

Total 5700 (marginally exceeded the budget)

• • Removed the side 4 bolts of the canopy from both sides

  • Removed 1 nut on the vertical pole on the rear (both sides)

  • Removed the black metal railing from the B-pillar

  • Pulled the Canopy half way (my work area, I did not touch the front)

  • Now, one of my trusted friends from our apartment maintenance company assured his presense and help for the day to make it happen - he is a plumber - big thanks to him)

  • First I cut the plywood to size 4'x3' in 2 pieces

  • The assistant held the plywood from outside and I marked a rough sketch from inside the vehicle

  • Then made the exact measurements using measuring tape and corrected the drawing

  • Used Jig Saw to slowly cut the lines to dimensions

  • Same process for the 2 pieces at the back (next to the opening)

  • Now, 4 pieces of plywood ready (base support)

  • I had previously measured the window opening when the Canopy was on (I could not figure out any other way to trace the window dimensions to the plywood)

  • Measured the drawing on to the plywood, cut it with Jig saw using a thin blade to take it through the curves

  • Placed the 10mm foam on top of the plywood, cut it to size

  • Placed the fabric, left some space for overlap, cut it to size

  • Screwed the Acrylic to the plywood and applied some silicone sealant between them

• • The outermost layer is plywood

  • Inner first layer is Acrylic (just the window portion)

  • Then Pasted the Nitrile Foam

  • Then pasted the fabric, stretched it to the sides and finished it

  • Now, moving on to the roof portion

  • Same process, exact measure for both sides of the roof is 4'x2'

  • Used 4mm foam board for flexibility

  • Pasted the foam , then the fabric, finished

  • Pre-pasted Velcro strips on the open side (top) of the foam board to align with the 2 horizontal roof rails to fix

The adhesive process was sticky and need to use good quality gloves to do this job - I used surgical gloves for a tight fit and they were torn because the adhesive pulled the gloves - bad experience

They all are light weight materials and I am not loading any big weight to the Thar. This work was completed by 5.30 p.m. and I was completely drained out as it was purely without any help. Drenched in Sweat and exhausted

My plumber friend suggested to continue the work and finish it off as he was taking off the next day. I do not want to loose him as he is a smart guy. So, continued with the work.

Fixing :

• • Removed both the side seats for ease of access

  • Placed the side portion and aligned them properly

  • Drilled 6mm holes straight through the plywood and made a mark on the inner steel frame

  • Then used the same drilling bit and slowly drilled the steel

  • Placed the plywood back and bolted them

  • It was a tight fit, fixed both sides. For now, it is being held only on 4 bolts

  • Then used 2 U clamps from the 1" iron pole (rear end) to tie the rear side

  • Similarly fixed the rear pads, just using clamps as there is no provision to bolt them

  • So now, the plywood is secure from top and the rear (2 positions)

• • Then pulled the canopy, inserted the edge over the factory rail and put that in position - It does not go inside as the metal rail was hitting the plywood. No other way, but to cut the plywood by 5mm. I used the Jig saw vertically and cut that 5mm off the plywood which was very adventurous as I had to take care of not hitting the saw to the jeep B pillar - I passed the test.

  • The bottom portion just sits on the Vehicle frame

  • Then fixed the roof portion, slightly bent the foam and pushed it on to the slot. Tied it with the velcro

  • Fixed the side rails on the B pillar and this is the 3rd securing point for the side insulation

  • Pulled the canopy over, fixed the side bolts and was happy to see that.

  • Oh man ! i forgot to clean the acrylic and I was so tired that i did not want to remove the canopy again and thought, Ok, I will do it next weekend.

Overall what did i do to spoil the vehicle - Just total of 8 x 6mm holes drilled in the Canopy frame and all others were a couple of clamps and fixing within the existing rails, slots - I was very scared to do any more damage to the new vehicle - so 8 holes are the utmost compromise.

It's a Jeep thing. Also, because the Thar is more comfortable to live with (power steering, more pliant suspension, air-conditioning etc.), it's a realistic option for those who were earlier driving modern cars. You wouldn't be able to live with a crude, slow CJ340 / MM550.

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My Enfield TBTS Red and my new Thar is very similar in colour and probably similar in Characteristics

Now that's a garage with character!

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Rear seat comfort - my family did not complain. But, for the long drive, I do not know and I am sure it will not be as comfortable as a front facing seat

You should probably get a large & comfortable front facing seat made in the after-market.

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The front seats could have been better, i.e., more cushioning and supports - It looks really flat

Something that can be easily solved at an after-market seat chap.

The rest of the issues (fit, finish etc.), well, you'll just have to live with. It's unfortunate that Mahindra couldn't get these right and resorted to jugaad in so many areas. Maruti provided better fit & finish 30 years back in the Gypsy!

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I will later try and fix my Focal amp and my components.

Be sure to hide them properly (for risk of theft).

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I hope to have the patience to remove the canopy

My Jeep is simpler and I still don't have the patience / time. Better to train someone for the job. I simply send it over to Milestone for refitting the canopy back and they do a stellar job of fixing it just the right way.

Great thread! This one's going to the homepage!

Hey Swami,

Very very interesting to hear your story...

Thar as a Jeep certainly has mixed opinion and you have well captures the merits/demerits here...

Just for updates. Enclosing some of the Hardtops I have come across for Thar in Sheet Metal done by Azad4x4 ensuring No water leakages or Rattling and tremendous durability.

Attached Images

Wonderful Swami. Good and innovative customization. Happy and Safe motoring.

For better seat cushions (front & rear), you can try in Koyas @ Coimbatore. Their foam always give a wonderful seating experience.

Did you buy the noodle mats at GP road?

PS: I saw a red Thar very recently (within one week) resembling yours in the T Nagar area. Hella's gave an executive look to Thar :-)

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Originally Posted by al pacino

Swami

Excellent and straight from the heart review . Enjoyed reading every but of it .

The PDI check list which you had posted on the official Thar review page is great and helpful too and gave a very good glimpse of how exhaustive ownership review was in making .

Enjoy the unique , dashing and the mighty Thar to the fullest . Will follow this thread the same way as I follow all Thar ownership threads i.e with joy .

Congratulations and wish you million happy miles with the Thar .

Thanks al pacino.

Quote:

Originally Posted by inuchadha

Hey Swami,

Very very interesting to hear your story...

Thar as a Jeep certainly has mixed opinion and you have well captures the merits/demerits here...

Just for updates. Enclosing some of the Hardtops I have come across for Thar in Sheet Metal done by Azad4x4 ensuring No water leakages or Rattling and tremendous durability.

Thanks inuchadha - the hard tops look great. As mentioned in my OP, I will sure go for a HT in the next 15 months or so, but not now due to affordability. That is the reason, I tried this mod with minimum expenditure to achieve some comfort for the time being. By the time, I buy my HT, there will be good proven options available at a lesser cost - may be Azad will supply to Chennai by then

Quote:

Originally Posted by RGK

Wonderful Swami. Good and innovative customization. Happy and Safe motoring.

For better seat cushions (front & rear), you can try in Koyas @ Coimbatore. Their foam always give a wonderful seating experience.

Did you buy the noodle mats at GP road?

PS: I saw a red Thar very recently (within one week) resembling yours in the T Nagar area. Hella's gave an executive look to Thar :-)

Thanks RGK, I have heard about Koya's from many people. Will keep in mind when I decide to do something with the seats.

I bought the noodle mat from a shop in TTK road next to Ethiraj Marriage Hall, good shop (forgot the name of the shop). The only time I went to T.Nagar (Pondy Bazaar) was on the 7th Sep and if it was that day, then possible, it was me.

BTW, there was a kich kich noise coming from somewhere in the front. Checked all over and shook the vehicle from all sides and found there was a similar noise coming when I pressed the bonnet. It looked like the culprit was the bonnet clip/holder. Put some oil in that socket and also on the little clip rod and removed the noise. When I drove today, could not hear that. Think that was the issue