[nareshtrao]

Originally Posted by bharatbs

Thanks, this for the OEM wheel

Let me send you the number of the Manager of the Madhus show room on DM. You may want to call him and check before you go. Given the traffic and based on your distance, this will save you some typical Bangalore Traffic hassles.

On the other point, I was told that fitting 285 on OEM rims is not possible. Am I misinformed? What is the width of the OEM rims?

[ballfry]

Originally Posted by nareshtrao

I was told that fitting 285 on OEM rims is not possible. Am I misinformed? What is the width of the OEM rims?

We have the same Maxxis 285 on our Thar, No issues so far.
Just that the steering has gotten heavier at slow speeds.

Been assured by multiple folks that this is the largest upsize for the stock alloy.

[Bnr12]

Hello everyone. I'm planning to change the original OEM alloys to aftermarket 18" ones for my Thar. I'm seeking clarification on whether the TPMS on the car's central console will remain functional following the tire replacement, or if it might cease to display accurate readings. Any insights on this particular query would be highly valuable to me.

[nax04]

One thing that could make a stoical man like me go weak in the knees was the sight of THAR on the road. I would catch myself ogling at these magnificent beasts cruising majestically on an otherwise banal road. It had always been my dream to drive a THAR and to own one.
Today I am a proud owner of a majestic black beast! Variant --- LX Hard Top Diesel AT 4X4

I will walk you through the steps for the pre-decision actions that I took.,
Step 1: Express the love for THAR to my wife and daughter
Step 2: prepare to be scoffed at
Step 3: whine about how cool it would be to own one
Step 4: get scoffed at more
Step 5: get into their head till they start liking the idea
Step 6: go back and forth about whether to get THAR or a 'practical' 'family' 'stereo type' car.
Step 7: Eh! What the hell! You live only once and go with your heart's decision

It did take a lot of going back and forth in deciding to go for it. I was torn apart between buying this and a sedan. On one hand I had the comforts of Sedan, the milage, the boot space and on the other there was the temptation, the ruggedness, the THAR factor and it was indeed a hard choice. What was harder was to convince my wife that the new car would have lesser boot space, no doors at the back and the windows wouldn't open at the back. Man! It did take a loooot of convincing; luckily I had the buy-in of my daughter and she, with her natural charm, did her part in bringing me closer to my dream car!

Once we decided to go for it, we had a lot of questions in mind about the pros and cons, the practicality, the cost involved and the modifications that would be needed. I had the endless articles and discussions at Team BHP by all experts here to my rescue.
I also reached out to Mr.Shankar Balan who helped me by patiently answering all questions I had.

Finally I got my dream vehicle and I am enjoying every minute of it. I don't regret it and it is such a feeling to be sitting so high on the road and driving this monster.

If you are of two minds, I would implore you to go for it. You might have a lot of questions in mind, let me summarise here the questions I had and the resolutions.,

Points that needed consideration :

1. Is it a family vehicle? - Contrary to the popular opinion that it is more of a off road vehicle, it can be a very suitable family vehicle. It surely needs a mind set change from your family members since they are used to hatch / sedan type of cars. I recently took my dad and uncle who are both 70+ on a ~400km journey and I did have a smooth journey with them. Only complaint was the ingress & egress climb and settling in the back seat.

2. Boot space - Yes, you need to prepare the luggage to get it accommodated. Use duffle bags instead of big suitcases. Our family always travel light and so I guess it is manageable.

3. Drive quality / Highway behaviour - For a calm and composed driver, it is a very good vehicle at sane speeds of 100kmph+. Wind noise will be evident over 80 to 90 kmph but can cancel this out with music ON. Going forward, I think I will become a more composed driver from an aggressive one now.

4. Mileage: The vehicle's avg. fuel economy was 15.3 kmpl. Tank to Tank method got me 13.7 kmpl.
Note : I was very consciously driving below 100kmph and was always gentle on the throttle since it was the first 1000 kms (I am considering a run in period of 2000kms)

List of Accessories - While there are a lot of options for beautification of the vehicle , there are some mark ups which I felt were necessary -

From the dealer :

a) Floor mats - My wife decided on the 7D mat from Mahindra itself
b) Arm rest - it was very much necessary for the back seat. But one point, though! The one at the front is placed in a way which doesn't offer comfort to the driver but is more for the front passenger
c) Reverse Camera & front parking sensors - Camera quality is OK.
d) Mud flaps
e) Under chassis Coat
f) Mud Flaps
g) Magnetic Sun Shades
h) Dark Lord kit (only 3 parts) - Wheel arch cladding, Tail lamp applique & Mirror applique

From other vendors :

i) Fog light upgraded to FE Retrofit HID projectors - This was pre-decided as I am already using one on my swift. Very useful during night drives on highways.
ii) Ceramic coating from The Detailing Mafia

Future upgrades planned :
> Grill - Still not settled with one
> Headlight replacement - Research is ON. Confused between changing just the bulb or the entire set.

Looking forward for munching more miles with this Beast!

[akshaydieselboy]

Reading these posts I am very scared then one day I will give in to the temptation. For this fear I have not test driven the Thar yet.

Maybe someday. Maybe oneday.

[shankar.balan]

Originally Posted by nareshtrao

On the other point, I was told that fitting 285 on OEM rims is not possible. Am I misinformed? What is the width of the OEM rims?

285’s will rub the sway bar and all at full lock. And the steering will be heavier and the fuel efficiency will likely drop because there is a lot more rolling resistance. They do look fantastic but it is a bit like wearing cowboy boots and running a relay race.
But you can achieve the same look and yet avoid the rubbing issue, the steering heaviness and you can also manage the fuel consumption piece by going for to All Terrain AT in size 265/60/18, which I am reliably and repeatedly informed, is the most sensible upsize for the Thar.
The Vredestein Pinza Tyres look really nice. So do the Yokohama Geolandars and the Michelin LTX Trail and the Apollo Apterra AT2. See pics- all available at Madhu’s or MilliVision or Tyre Empire and all in the range of 18000-20000 Rupees per tyre. (I like how we seem to have become so Blase about such numbers which not so long ago used to be considered seriously expensive and unaffordable even!)

[arunpools]

Right from day one I have been itching to give my Thar a proper stretch for its legs (ok.. wheels). The best I have been able to were a bunch of small stuff on the side of tarmac roads. So, as luck would have it, while I was doing my usual stuff over the internet on a fine Saturday evening, I stumbled upon the Mahindra 4x4 Academy site. Viola! They are doing a Fundamentals course at their Igatpuri (near Mumbai) off-road course. I hurriedly booked a place in their event on Aug 5th. After confirming the payment for the event, I pinched myself to ensure I wasn’t dreaming. Every single time they have hosted such an event, I have reached a little too late.

About the Academy

Mahindra 4x4 Adventure Academy at Igatpuri is the place where the new Thar was born (according to blokes from Mahindra Adventure). They tested the vehicle through the many obstacles of varying difficulty that they have custom-built out of 28 acres of wet, slushy and hilly private property.

At Igatpuri they host many such events year-round like the one I just attended but with the exception that people who participate usually get a M&M vehicle that’s owned by the academy. In my case, from last year on, they have started to host a 4X4 Fundamentals Course in which one shall bring their own New Thar to put it through its paces.

To take part in any of their events, which they host all around the country, one must keep logging onto their site (Mahindra Adventure) every few weeks. That’s probably the only way unless you have the habit of crawling through the Thar Adventure Connect app in the vehicle’s infotainment.

The Event

A few days to the D-Day, I called my instructor at Mahindra Adventure. We had a casual talk about what I should expect and all. Towards the end of the call, however, he asked whether I had a radiator guard installed. I said I did, nothing fancy but the standard one the car came with. ‘That would be enough’ he said. I got a bit worried about what I was about to put my car through, mostly because of his interest in knowing whether I had the guard. I surely didn’t want any lasting damage to the vehicle.

The event day finally came and I started from Mumbai at 6:30 AM in the hopes of reaching Igatpuri by 10 and then probably doing some sightseeing till the event start time of 11:30. Nearing the foothills of Igatpuri I realized that I was going to reach there too soon and relaxed to some 60kmph on cruise control while enjoying the scenic monsoon landscape.

I remember pressing the cruise-off button but all of a sudden the infamous ‘Engine System Check’ lamp lit on the dash! My heart just jumped from its socket and I could feel it beating in my mouth. This event at Mahindra was a dream come true and now thoughts of a flatbed and I crawling myself with my sorry face back to my home flashed through my mind.

I recollected myself and pulled the vehicle to the side of the road and pressed control+alt+del.. Ahem .. cough.. cough.. I switched off and restarted the car. Like in the Hollywood movie Independence Day, when the smoke cleared after the nuclear strike on the hostile alien ship, the Engine System Check lamp remained after the restart! But then I remembered that the car was behaving pretty much like how it should; I had good accelerator authority as any other time, the steering and the brakes felt normal and there were no other lamps on the display other than this ‘Engine!’ thing that was threatening to ruin my day. After a quick check under the hood and cursing myself for not taking my Chinese knock-off OBD scanner along, I started the car and headed up the hills to the Mahindra event site.

The car behaved pretty much the same en route except for the now-dead cruise control buttons. Once I reached the site I called my SA. He gave me a quick pill for the issue which was to shut the car down, remove the key and wait for some five minutes and restart (I missed the 5 minutes part the last time). That was it, thank god! But by now I had the OBD lamp continuously ON. This one stayed ON until the start of the event and went away on its own. Ok, not entirely on its own but by restarting the car a few times, about which I read on the internet.



Before you get to drive, they first teach you a bunch of fundamentals. They ask to put the car to 4 Low and select AT Manual mode. This was to be the case throughout the course. They hand you a walkie-talkie and you are asked to tail a pilot vehicle that’s driven by a trained instructor. Their instructions were brief and the convoy of four participants along with the pilot Thar set off without wasting much time after the quick lecture.

They also have spotters so that you don’t turn upside down. Though they do teach you what to do if you do find yourself belly up (not much, just hold on to the steering wheel for dear life until help arrives). The car is built well and the only worry you should be having when lying there, with sunny side pointed the wrong way, should be about how you would explain the incident to your insurer. Though they did not talk about the last part, they did take my signature on a bunch of papers on their ‘limited liabilities’.







The very first thing that struck me on the trail was the immense articulation the wheels had. Of course not as much as what Jeep Wrangler with rigid front axle and Sway Bar Disconnect combination would provide.

I remember thinking to myself taking the first turn while making my way through the bushes that if it were any other two-wheel drive car it would have lost traction at that very turn itself. This was not even a numbered obstacle. Not that turning itself was difficult, any car could do that, but the rains had made the track so uneven. Even a momentary loss of traction in a two-wheel drive would get that wheel spinning helplessly, especially when the momentum is kept down low to avoid the trees and branches. That is when it struck me why the Thar is like a fish out of water on the highways. Off-road is where it belongs and now finally I get to see what those wonderful guys Mahindra have kitted it with.



During the small lecture, they tell you not to drive like a maniac. The name of the game is to go slow and steady on the ruts and slush. Not to give gas unnecessarily so that maximum traction is maintained at all times. No hard braking down the slopes as well and to depend more on engine braking. We all know this, I did too, but what I haven't done is the car doing 30 degrees negative slope on slippery slush on which you can't even stand upright without falling over. Overcoming your basic instinct to apply the brake and slow down is very difficult to overcome. The instant you brake and get the wheels locked, your speed remains the same with the exception that now you don’t have any steering control also. Oh its crazy! You are doing sideways in a controlled crash. They tell you to walk and check your path so that you can fix the lines before you dive into an obstacle.



During one of the more difficult obstacles which involved a steep slippery downward slope which went into a small slushy stream and then a steep uphill climb, I realized why the instructor had asked whether I had my radiator guard installed. While ditching head into the stream, the bumper did kiss the mud. Later they told me the radiator guard is designed not only to protect the radiator from physical damage (which I doubt), but it prevents slush and ruts from entering the radiator cavity. The guard indeed has a shape that covers the radiator from the front and the sides thereby restricting mud and stones from entering. Then I also realized that this important function would be lost if one of those aftermarket metal covers is installed.



There are obstacles in which you have to wade through bumper-deep water. There they ask you to keep the AC running so that the radiator fans are kept running. While in one of those stints, I could sense the MLD kicking in. Now I think why Mahindra has made MLD optional. Though I wouldn’t know for sure whether MLD remained ON throughout the rest of the course and continued to make a difference, I do believe I could have pulled the whole thing without much help from it. In many of the ascends I could hear the BLD frantically doing its thing.

Out of the four vehicles that took part in the course, mine and another were automatic. The Auto made many of the obstacles look like a breeze while the manual guys struggled somewhat. Probably because of a lack of experience in driving a manual on such terrains but then that’s the whole point. AT seemed to be more forgiving.







Overall the experience was great. I would have never mustered enough courage to throw my car around such an obstacle course or a real-world situation if not for the wonderfully talented Mahindra guys telling me that I could.

Will Jimny be able to do this? Very much or at least I think so. The point is, the course that Mahindra has developed for the Fundamentals event is, on an arbitrary scale, medium level at best. Any car with a proper 4x4, some 200+mm ground clearance, good approach, departure and break over angles with some reasonable water wading capability would be capable enough to get through.

That aside, I knew Thar was an immensely capable vehicle but it took an event like that to put the capabilities to the test. I left the Igatpuri with a new found respect for the Mahindra Engineers and vehicle testers who helped create this beautiful piece of engineering.

[stupidbeard]

Got a new Thar AT HT LX Petrol in Dark Grey towards
the end of last month; got done with the first check up last week, and headed out to Bangalore (from Chennai) this weekend. Some observations about the vehicle (and the trip )

1. TPMS is a boon. 10 minutes into the trip, the front right tyre showed low pressure. Stopped and checked to find a notorious nail doing its job! Topped up some air from a nearby petrol bunk and got the tyre repaired in 10 minutes by a tyre guy at the next junction.
2. Yes, luggage space is limited, but if one plans properly, can accommodate quite some luggage! We used the FRAKTA Storage bags (3) from IKEA and loaded them up vertically in the boot. Will not work if one has fragile items to transport. We just had some clothes and toys and books!
3. The ride quality was good. Not bad.
4. Got introduced to the Airlines hotel. Found the food much better than some of the cafes and tiffin centers with a mile long queue. Of course, personal preference
5. The engine is quite powerful. Easily cruises at 120kmph and one won't know it because the rev sits easily below 2k. This can be dangerous at times because sudden braking / maneuvering unsettles the vehicle. Eyes on the speedo, please
6. Quite a fuel guzzler.
7. Went to CTR too on Monday early morning en route to Bannerghatta Zoo. For me, Airlines dose > CTR dose.
8. Quite a head turner too. Mostly my own head after parking the vehicle.
9. Quite a conversation starter. Visited Anant Mahindra service center near IIMB because my infotaiment screen refused to turn on; but then magically decided to power on after a while. Made some friends here.
10. Both the Krishnagiri route and the Chithoor route had some bad sections. Was no problem for the Thar.
11. On the way back, had a nice lunch at the TTDC Hotel Tamil Nadu in Ranipet. Loved the place.
12. Can the new Thar be the only vehicle at home? Hmm, probably yes if you are a family of Max 3. Also depends on how much the family loves the vehicle, because after all, there is no perfect choice, but a collusion of compromises.
    
    

[nareshtrao]

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

285’s will rub the sway bar and all at full lock. And the steering will be heavier and the fuel efficiency will likely drop because there is a lot more rolling resistance. They do look fantastic but it is a bit like wearing cowboy boots and running a relay race.
But you can achieve the same look and yet avoid the rubbing issue, the steering heaviness and you can also manage the fuel consumption piece by going for to All Terrain AT in size 265/60/18, which I am reliably and repeatedly informed, is the most sensible upsize for the Thar.

Very compelling argument and I agree with them. However, based on the calculations, the tyre size drops somewhat (Sidewall by over 3%) which I was wondering, if, could be a cause of concern. Also the same holds true for 285s as well. The size increases by over 4% which could be the reason for the sway fouling and other issues you mentioned.

What is surprising is that there are many users here who do not seem to have reported 285 issues.

Another option could be 275/60 R18 but the choice is limited to only Yokohama Geolander. The size is exactly the same to OEM tyres with almost no difference even in speedo error. However, this specific model is in short-supply as they do not make this size in India. I am using them on my Ford Endeavour for over 3 years and super happy.

Lastly, your argument makes a strong case in favour of the OEM rims which, in my view, look quite nice. And perhaps 285 can not be accommodated on these OEM rims well enough. However, a 265 and maybe, a 275 too could be accommodated.

So net net the confusion still prevails for me over the right choice.

[shankar.balan]

Originally Posted by nareshtrao

Lastly, your argument makes a strong case in favour of the OEM rims which, in my view, look quite nice. And perhaps 285 can not be accommodated on these OEM rims well enough. However, a 265 and maybe, a 275 too could be accommodated.

So net net the confusion still prevails for me over the right choice.

Im a believer in keeping my vehicles as close to stock and as near their original avatars as possible. After all the engineers who designed and built these vehicles do deserve respect for their efforts. However, certain functional upgrades are perfectly fine as are some ‘cosmetic’ ones as well. I like the Thar the way it was when I bought it. And as you know (and as per the list of accessories and modifications I shared with you) mine has only seen a few modifications and additions.
What Im going to do whenever my stock oem tyres become ready for change, is to go for this 265/60/18 size in AT pattern from a nice brand and place them on the oem rims.

[Altocumulus]

Originally Posted by nareshtrao

Very compelling argument and I agree with them. However, based on the calculations, the tyre size drops somewhat (Sidewall by over 3%) which I was wondering, if, could be a cause of concern. Also the same holds true for 285s as well. The size increases by over 4% which could be the reason for the sway fouling and other issues you mentioned.

What is surprising is that there are many users here who do not seem to have reported 285 issues.

I think most people upsizing to 285 sections are doing so with 285/60R18 where the difference is 1.33% compared to 285/65R18 (which also some are opting for ) where it is a difference of 4.94%. The latter is where I assume the the issue may come while the former is just fine.

Anyone with 285/60R18 on stock wheels who can confirm, if there are any instances of wheels touching any components. I am supposed to change the tyres of mine to 285/60R18 Maxxis Bravo 980s this weekend for my new Petrol AT 4WD.

[nareshtrao]

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

Even my Dad was saying the same. As long as our authorities dont give us reasonable road surfaces and as long as these cities are perpetually under some kind of construction work, a ‘jeepy thing’ is best suited for our daily use rather than a car.

So clearly its the Thar rather than a car which makes the cut! (The pic is taken in the Urban Jungle.)

Absolutely second this. This is exactly the same reason my wife and I decided we needed a Thar for the ultra messy Bangalore roads. And truthfully speaking, exactly the same thoughts as Shankar said - to replace our C220d as our daily ride. The cratered roads and endless construction with debris across all roads over the years has dotted the landscape. The other day while traversing a bad patch on ORR at Bellandur near our place (by the way, this is the famous traffic choke and also "flooded last year" stretch), we started discussing how these cars are not meant for these roads and we should have a Thar for daily commute. The Endeavour is there of course, but size is an issue for all the errands and mostly gets used for Long drives and vacations. Now even the Merc will be relegated to once in a while and Thar will serve the daily duties in the treacherous terrain of roads in Bangalore.

Found this quote while going through the Thar thread as a part of my research for the planned purchase. This thread and GTO's thread have become the main source of knowledge and all the learning. Thank you both (and Aditya) and all here.

@GTO @shankar.balan @Aditya

[TheRajput]

Originally Posted by Shiri_19

Hello folks,

So i purchased my Thar about 3 months back. Now the front suspension has started to making squeaking noise when i go over bumps after driving for a bit.
Is anyone else facing this issue?

I have observed the same while driving a 2022 petrol AT and this seems to be normal as quoted by Mahindra folks at the service centre

[Iyencar]

Does anyone have a rear-facing child seat in the Thar? I know they have isofix which means it should be doable but whatever vids and pics of the Thar I have seen seem to indicate it is going to be a task to even get the seat in.
Found a vid of the NCAP testing with front and rear facing seats (@ 1:41) but doubt how easy it would be in the real world.

https://youtu.be/QNpq43759Kc?t=101

[ringoism]

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

Im a believer in keeping my vehicles as close to stock and as near their original avatars as possible. After all the engineers who designed and built these vehicles do deserve respect for their efforts.

Ah, to mod or not to mod... that is the question.

We should keep in mind the typical ongoing struggles these same design engineers can go through in conflicts with marketing depts, accountants, (occasionally nonsensical) regulating bodies, manufacturing engineers, and the keepers of the corporate calendar, among others. THEY may believe in making a vehicle the best it can be, BUT other entities may not agree with their conceptions / specifications, Including many end-users who have unique requirements / applications /.tastes.

Those who engineered the original Mini, or Datsun 510, or small-block Chevrolet V8, or Mustang 5.0, were ultimately acclaimed not simply for coming up with good designs, but for engineering things that responded so incredibly well to modifications, to upgrades which in many cases wholly transformed the "official" products!

That said, tyre size alterations (and many other things) must be done very carefully / responsibly.

And in most cases, there is nothing really wrong with keeping a car stock if that is preferred.

-Eric