[raj_5004]

Originally Posted by TheARUN

The bus I guess is going to be registered as a Contract Carriage/Maxi Cab so that tax is less, and they all have rigid seats. If you had push-back then it becomes AITOB and double the tax. So good decision. (I was only thinking about how to make the passengers choose your Bus out of the competition)

yes, in that case, some would choose my bus over another but the dilemma is they would not pay even 1 paise more than the competition even if we are offering them the best features! customers in kerela are very demanding & they want everything for nothing!

You said you had huge demand for a 30 seater. If you are getting into the Tourist transport business and can afford only 1 bus, which would you suggest, Mini-Bus or Big Bus? What's more in demand?

i would opt for a non-AC 30 seater mini bus like this one. these buses are more in demand because of a lot of college trips, excursions, etc. also, a mini bus is around 10L cheaper than the bigger viking.

these college guys dont demand AC, they dont demand air suspension, they dont demand P/B seats... but they want a good music system (powerful speakers, subwoofer & also cordless mic) & they also demand a laser show!

[binaiks]

Originally Posted by raj_5004

... infact, even prakash said that 32 P/B seats can be fitted only in the 12M vikings. so i dont think thats possible in a stag.
...

I think the person at Prakash is clearly mistaken. 12M buses are built with 44 PB seats (2x2 model) and as many as 60 non-PB seats (2x3 layout). This is just FYI.

[raj_5004]

Originally Posted by binaiks

I think the person at Prakash is clearly mistaken. 12M buses are built with 44 PB seats (2x2 model) and as many as 60 non-PB seats (2x3 layout). This is just FYI.

are such buses built by prakash?

when we enquired for our chassis, they said for an AC bus with P/B seats, only 32 seats can be fitted.

[binaiks]

Originally Posted by raj_5004

are such buses built by prakash?

when we enquired for our chassis, they said for an AC bus with P/B seats, only 32 seats can be fitted.

Very much. Prakash builds such buses for KaSRTC (Non-AC buses used as Rajahamsa, and AC buses used as Meghadoota), TNSETC (Their AC buses) and lots of private operators - like Kallada, Sharma, SRS, etc. 32 seats with PB is usually seen on the regular Viking Chassis - the 10.8m chassis.

[Ashley2]

Originally Posted by raj_5004

ok, i will check this with the dealer.

Did you get any updates on wheel bolts?

[raj_5004]

the bus is still being built at sisira & once its out, we will be giving it to TVS for a general check up. i plan to talk to TVS then.

[TheARUN]

@ Raj

Is the STAG the passenger version of the ECOMET/CARGO?

The LYNX seems to be a scaled down VIKING/COMET, its been in the portfolio for years now. Many of them ply around in Hosur

[raj_5004]

Arun, i have no idea about that buddy, i am a newbie, still learning! maybe our experts can answer this.

[Ashley2]

Originally Posted by TheARUN

@ Raj
Is the STAG the passenger version of the ECOMET/CARGO?
The LYNX seems to be a scaled down VIKING/COMET, its been in the portfolio for years now. Many of them ply around in Hosur

It cannot be told as a passenger version of Ecomets.
Stag is a relatively smaller one compared to Ecomet.
No major aggregates like frames, cross members, GB share, axles are with them except engines.
Lynx is an intermediate product between Stag and Viking, and can be told as a scale down version of Viking.

[Transsenger]

Originally Posted by Ashley2

Lynx is an intermediate product between Stag and Viking, and can be told as a scale down version of Viking.

I believe, its actually the Stag which is a scale down version of Viking. All aggregates like engine, axle, frame suspension etc are really scale down size of Viking. The stag even has front overhang like the viking. The Stag was derived from the "Chital-the first mini bus from AL" which was produced even before Ecomet & Cargo range came.
I don't think Lynx can be called a scale down version of Viking, because,
Lynx has platform similar to Ecomet1112, with changes in brake and suspension system. The Lynx has largest width in its category similar to ecomet. The lynx does not have front overhang like viking.
Moreover Lynx is a new model compared to stag.

Ashley2 what is your opinion on this.

[urzdeepu]

The common aggregates of stag/lynx and ecomet and even the bigger version of Ecomet ( Comet 1611) are the following.

1. The engine
2. The GB
3. The chassis.

All these products displays 120HP of power from the H4CTI engine. When Ecomet was launched it didnt had a turbo engine and its power ( the stag released at the same time too had the same configurations except for the GB) was 90HP fitted with a 6Speed GB that u find in a taurus!!

Cargo on the other hand had a variety of engine options to choose from. it was powered by Iveco engines and they had a lot of models like 709,759,909,1512,1612 etc based on the cargo 4 cylinder based engine. Even they had launched a bus based on Cargo which was ditto the truck chassis and u bet the ride was just like the truck too.

But these models had some severe hit on its GB and engine aggregates and failure was the follower of that model. As mentioned in the post before about the Chital model, which is a real rare vehicle, i can show you guys one pic of this bus which i took while driving my car...ofcourse Chital was in my back so its a mirror image...

[silversteed]

Originally Posted by urzdeepu

... As mentioned in the post before about the Chital model, which is a real rare vehicle, i can show you guys one pic of this bus which i took while driving my car...ofcourse Chital was in my back so its a mirror image...

OT: Is that a school bus? Specifically, does it belong to Chinmaya Vidyalaya Kolazhi? I remember seeing one in their premises (around 6 years back)

[Ashley2]

Originally Posted by Transsenger

I don't think Lynx can be called a scale down version of Viking, because,
Lynx has platform similar to Ecomet1112, with changes in brake and suspension system. The Lynx has largest width in its category similar to ecomet. The lynx does not have front overhang like viking.
Moreover Lynx is a new model compared to stag.

Ashley2 what is your opinion on this.

The reason I quoted Lynx as a scale down version of Viking is since its just next to Viking in product portfolio and Stag is a step next to that.
I did not really looked into the FOH and all. And moreover comparing a passenger vehicle with Goods was not opt and so I did not go for it, and nothing much.

Originally Posted by urzdeepu

The common aggregates of stag/lynx and ecomet and even the bigger version of Ecomet ( Comet 1611) are the following.

1. The engine
2. The GB
3. The chassis.

To my knowledge Stag/Lynx/Ecomet/Comet 1611 share only the engine H4Cti.
GB is common between Stag/Lynx.
Apart from this there exists no similarity between them. Kindly let me know if any details you have.

[urzdeepu]

Originally Posted by silversteed

OT: Is that a school bus? Specifically, does it belong to Chinmaya Vidyalaya Kolazhi? I remember seeing one in their premises (around 6 years back)

No..the bus which chinmaya vidhyalaya kolazhy had a registration no of KL8A ****. That one was a good looking bus with body built from azad, a single pane glass in the front with 2 vipers and twin glass in the back and AL emblem too. initially that bus had an attractive but simple livery and later they changed it to the yellow school bus type. believe me being a 6 footer i felt it comfortable to sit in that bus as it had some pretty good seats too. the bus was sold at around 2005 when they procured a cheetah. anyway the bus in the pic was not that one and it had a KL 10 registration which is a malappuram based one.

Originally Posted by Ashley2

To my knowledge Stag/Lynx/Ecomet/Comet 1611 share only the engine H4Cti.
GB is common between Stag/Lynx.
Apart from this there exists no similarity between them. Kindly let me know if any details you have.

Well as per my knowledge(obviously from some of my friends working with AL and TVS) the GB used in the LCV and 16 tonners of AL stable are the same and its ZF S5.36. but in earlier models of Ecomet featured ZF S6.36 which is that from the 25 tonners of AL.
AFAIK even the thickness of the steel used in the chassis for LCV and HCV range of AL are also the same.i dont exactly recall the correct thickness but is it 12mm?

[Ashley2]

Originally Posted by urzdeepu

.....the GB used in the LCV and 16 tonners of AL stable are the same and its ZF S5.36. but in earlier models of Ecomet featured ZF S6.36 which is that from the 25 tonners of AL.

Dear, that is the model name.. in fact all five speed models are called by this name - S5.36 . This should be differentiated with Final Gear Ratio(FGR). This is more important and than the model name S5.36

Originally Posted by urzdeepu

AFAIK even the thickness of the steel used in the chassis for LCV and HCV range of AL are also the same.i dont exactly recall the correct thickness but is it 12mm?

Yes, the FSM - Frame Side Member,thickness may be same but what is to noted here is the number of cross members/flitches in the chassis.