[Traxxrc1]

Anyone has any idea about the options available to bump up the power for diesel Thar.
I have asked multiple tuners but no one is offering a stage 1 remap. And regarding the tuning box, I have my reservation with using a single channel tuning box in a DPF equipped vehicle.
Anyone has any leads?

[wantarangerover]

Hi, posting on behalf of a friend, who had booked a white 3 door Thar, in Chennai. During the PDI at the yard, he noticed two issues, the battery was leaking, and was dead, and some of the braiding/covering on the cables looked torn apparently due to rat bites. The dealer has promised to rectify everything and present the car for a PDI again in one day. Now, if he rejects this car, they don't have another white car in stock, so it will take another month.

He needs advise on how to proceed, are the issues minor, and should he take a chance on this car, if the dealer fixes the apparent issues?

[bairagi_virus]

Originally Posted by wantarangerover

Hi, posting on behalf of a friend, who had booked a white 3 door Thar, in Chennai. During the PDI at the yard, he noticed two issues, the battery was leaking, and was dead, and some of the braiding/covering on the cables looked torn apparently due to rat bites. The dealer has promised to rectify everything and present the car for a PDI again in one day. Now, if he rejects this car, they don't have another white car in stock, so it will take another month.

He needs advise on how to proceed, are the issues minor, and should he take a chance on this car, if the dealer fixes the apparent issues?

The wire cuts are present on pretty big wires controlling most of the sensors in the engine bay area. As per my understanding, these wires are pretty long connecting more than 1 sensor/equipment in the engine. There might be more cuts which are not visible to eyes, but may cause issues later.

I would suggest to wait for a month to get a new model, as this damage control cant be done in showroom and needs attention from service center which might take several days.

Thar is a prized possession for me and I wont like any correction work done on a brand new vehicle. It might carry different value for others.

If you still want to go for this vehicle, then get this checked and rectified in front of you. Showroom guys might simply put tape only top of the wires without correcting them. Battery needs to be replaced which is again a costly work for showroom.

Take a conscious call and check everything thoroughly before taking the delivery. All the best ����

[wantarangerover]

Originally Posted by wantarangerover

Hi, posting on behalf of a friend, who had booked a white 3 door Thar, in Chennai. During the PDI at the yard, he noticed two issues, the battery was leaking, and was dead, and some of the braiding/covering on the cables looked torn apparently due to rat bites.

Update: My friend rejected this car, and he got issued a new car. So it all worked out well in the end. He hopes the new car will not have any issues!

[abhinav.s]

Hi Everyone,

Since all the hype has shifted to the ROXX thread, thought of putting in a short review of the Thar 3-door D HT AT 4X4. This is possibly the only car after the New Figo Diesel we owned, which clocked as many Kms in such a short period. The Figo D had done 50k kms in 2 years at the time of selling it. In comparison, the Thar has done 24k kms in less than a year. While most of the miles munched on the Figo were solo drives and mainly to a single destination (BLR-Coorg-BLR), in the Thar it has been family outings to multiple short distances and few multi-day drives as well.

Breaking down the review into the below points & will also try to capture the cost where appropriate.

1. Modifications
2. Drive Experience & Passenger Experience - Highways, Hills, Cities
3. Luggage carrying ability.
4. Fuel Efficiency
5. Miscellaneous

1. Modifications

External:-

• Right out of the showroom, got the car fully wrapped in PPF from a known contact that costed 75k. Since it is a black car, wanted to maintain the shine and not lose the beauty of black to the swirls!!
• Garware tints which costed 20k for all glasses.
• Wrangler type front grille costing 9.5k
• LED Headlights & Projector fog lamps costing 25k
• Post completing 23k kms, got full underbody cover (mild steel) from a known contact for 18k

Internal:-

• Front Arm rest - Got one from the Mahindra dealer costing 3500 and used it for 20k kms. It was not very convenient and was installed in the cup-holders. It also started making creaking noises post 10k kms itself. Finally got it changed to a Bimbra type one that was in a neighbor's Thar which he ordered direct from Delhi which costed 4.6k including shipping. This is wide and convenient to use for both the passenger and driver.
  
• Rear Arm rest - This is also from the dealer but this is much better finished and adds to the ambience at the rear. It costed around 11k IIRC. It also comes with USB chargers for both arm rests.
  
• Front and Rear recording dash cam - This is a rear view mirror mounted dash cam from DDPAI with both front and rear recording. Including the memory card & installation, costed 16k.
  
• After using the stock seat upholstery for 23k kms, got the interiors done up in Tan leatherette upholstery & also got the steering wrapped in original Nappa leather in Black. Costed 30k.

2. Drive Experience & Passenger Experience

Use Case: The Thar is only used by our family of 3: Me, Wife (both 40 year olds) & our 14 year old son. Elderly have never travelled in the Thar from either of our families.

We have used the Thar extensively on different types of highways - the BLR-MYS expressway, BLR-HYD highway, undivided state highways with good tarmac, state highways with broken roads etc. Driving the Thar AT has been a pleasure on the highways. Once you get used to the high seating and high CG of the car, you will be able to hold speeds upto 110 on the expressways without any fear. Since I usually travel the BLR-MYS expressway at night time, I can set the cruise at 105 & get to MYS with hardly 4-5 braking events. It is as easy to manoeuvre the jeep across lanes as needed to overtake slow moving traffic. We were able to get to HYD in the usual 6.5hrs with breaks that we were able to do earlier in the Seltos or Polo. So no penalty in terms of time taken. In fact the journey feels effortless and less tiresome. On good tarmac there is very less lateral movement even when changing lanes & steady 3 digit speeds are definitely possible.

On undivided highways with rough roads, no need to slow down. Just glide past without as much as a noise inside. Suspension does a stellar job of insulating the road sounds. Yes as a driver you will feel everything on the steering as there is no steering dampers in the Thar. Once you get used to loosening your grip, you will not feel much as well. If the roads are well and truly broken with craters for road, then you have to navigate them slowly. There is lateral movement here as well but passengers dont feel the stiffness or the "hit" from the bumps if you call it that.

Driving in hills and ghats is a treat in the SWB Thar. It feels planted and grip levels are pretty good to give you confidence to navigate the twisties at a brisk pace. Passengers also dont feel thrown around as long as the surface is good. Taking bad twisty roads at a slow pace is comfortable enough for the passengers too. The only sore point in the hills with broken sections is the heavy steering which takes a toll on your arms and tires you out if driven for over 2 hours at a stretch. Taking breaks and proceeding reduces this strain but it is there nevertheless due to the heavy hydraulic steering.

My wife feels very comfortable in the passenger seat and feels Thar has been the most ergonomic for her and she can peacefully nap in the seat during the journeys. Owing to the comfort over bad roads, even if there is lateral movement she can continue to nap without much disturbance or discomfort. My son feels that the rear seat is akin to a lounge and he feels that the recline feature in the rear is a boon and a stand out feature adding to the comfort at the back.
His verdict: Thar rear seats are more comfortable than the front passenger seat & overall comfort in the Thar over good / bad roads is superior to all the cars we have owned so far [Figo, Polo, Seltos. He was too young to notice the earlier car's comfort as he would be busy dozing off in the back seat ].

3. Luggage carrying ability

The boot as already very evident to all is smaller than a Wagon R boot. But if you pack smartly, you can stack soft duffel bags in such a way that you can carry 3 people's luggage for a 7 day trip in the boot alone. We use 2 Wildcraft large duffel bags and one medium size one stacked up. There will be some space left for misc. items such as shoes/slipper bags and some knick knacks. The rear footwell behind the driver is also put to use in case we have to carry stock of snacks and of course all bottle holders will have 1lt. bottles in them. We have total of 2 bottle holders in the front doors and 2 each in the arm rest at the rear. Of these only 1 can be used if its a wide bottle so it makes it 4lts. of water + we can carry additional bottles in the snack bag stashed in the rear footwell/unoccupied seat. This way for a family of 3 travelling for 7-8 days is quite possible without having to compromise on the comfort or the luggage you get to carry on the trip. Also since we changed the front arm rest we get 2 cup holders and a flat area ahead of the gear lever for storing the phones/tissue paper rolls etc. The dash is useful only to keep the service booklet and nothing much else.

4. Fuel Efficiency

As indicated above, mine is a 4X4 Diesel AT Hard Top. Given the added weight of the 4X4 hardware and the nature of this engine, The Thar gives anywhere around 14-15kmpl on expressways if the speed is maintained at 100-105kmph. Going above these speeds may feel unsafe until you really get used to the way Thar drives and stops. On undivided and hilly sections the best I have seen is 13.5kmpl and the worst is 12kmpl. We dont use the Thar either in Bangalore city or within town limits in Coorg as we have the Altos to do the city duties in either place. But the occasional city drives in Bangalore during slightly off peak hours returns around 10.5kmpl & same in Coorg gives around 9.5kmpl owing to the shorter distance we need to travel in Coorg.

5. Miscellaneous

• The 4X4 is deployed very rarely when we have to enter into a relatives farm and if it has rained heavily with slushy uphill sections involved. This is very rare and in the 24k kms we have used it probably 2 times. Thar is more of a Grand Tourer for our family than an off-roader.
  
• I have got all the services done in Coorg and never once had the chance to try out the service in Bangalore. Service experience has been good so far as there was no issue to troubleshoot and it was just the routine stuff that had to be carried out. Maybe because it is a Tier 2/3 town, the 20k service came to about 5k including all oils and consumables and also a voluntary replacement of the air filter from my side. I think the bill might be dearer by 500-1000/- in Bangalore mostly (not sure).
  
• No rattles or squeaks in the jeep so far. Barring the front arm rest which we duly replaced there is no rattling or squeaking in the Thar so far even after taking it on all sorts of road conditions. Seems to be built well.
  
• One of the fog lamps conked off around the 11k kms mark, and it was diagnosed to a blown fuse which was of a lower capacity than needed for the projector unit. It was replaced post which everything is working as expected.
  
• Alignment and balancing have always been done outside and has been flawless so far. The only issue was the first time when it was done at a shop known to the SVC where they messed it up. Got it corrected at my regular guy in Bangalore and no issues since.

And finally, I owe a big thanks to my wife who was the inspiration to realise the dream of owning the Thar. She was the one who said that if we are changing the Seltos it better not be to a vehicle that feels similar on the inside and it should be a totally different experience altogether. The Thar has lived up to her expectations as well as mine in all respects. It is so good that we are not even inclined in the least bit to test drive the Roxx. In fact son has already declared that he wants to retain our Thar for as long as it can last even if it means re-registering it multiple times. Given that we have now completed close to 24k in less than a year, we also have a plan to do a trip from Bangalore to the North as a family and plans are underway for this trip during his summer vacations. Hoping it turns out well.

[Traxxrc1]

A great hack for anyone who's struggling with the useless auto start stop feature in mahindra thar and most other cars.

https://youtu.be/EKnz_X5XCHY?si=nr7I06c4OTO4X1V9

[Shanksta]

Question to fellow Thar owners, I saw in the Mahindra website that there are 2 options for the Thar LX HT Diesel manual variant one with the Open Differential and the other with BLD(Brake Locking Differential) which costs roughly 20k more(ex-showroom).

If I am buying the BLD variant, how can I confirm during PDI that I am indeed getting a Thar equipped with the BLD ?

Kindly let me know.

[cool_dube]

Originally Posted by Shanksta

Question to fellow Thar owners, I saw in the Mahindra website that there are 2 options for the Thar LX HT Diesel manual variant one with the Open Differential and the other with BLD(Brake Locking Differential) which costs roughly 20k more(ex-showroom).

If I am buying the BLD variant, how can I confirm during PDI that I am indeed getting a Thar equipped with the BLD ?

Kindly let me know.

What you are referring to is not BLD but MLD - Mechanical Locking Differential - which is a completely mechanical (as the name suggests) component that locks the rear diff as soon as the difference in rotation speed of both rear wheels reaches a certain threshold. This used to be standard on all Thar 4x4 models till sometime last year post which it was taken completely off the petrol Thar and provided as an optional add-on for the diesel Thar. The BLD (an electronic aid) is standard on all 4x4 Thars.

I suppose the vehicle invoice will have "MLD" mentioned under the "Particulars" header, in case it is equipped with MLD.

[brute_forz]

Greetings, friends!
With the current discounts of Rs 1.25-1.60L going on, I thought I'd take a few TDs and possibly become a Thar owner soon. As a new driver and someone who has always admired the Thar, I thoroughly enjoyed the driving experience. However, I had one major disappointment- the braking. I found it inadequate and unsafe. I observed this on two different TD vehicles, both were Petrol ATs. It would be helpful if anyone could share their experience with the Thars brakes. Can the rear drum brakes be made more efficient with some adjustments?
Also, can we expect an updated 3 Door version anytime soon?

TIA

[Shanksta]

Originally Posted by cool_dube

What you are referring to is not BLD but MLD - Mechanical Locking Differential - which is a completely mechanical (as the name suggests) component that locks the rear diff as soon as the difference in rotation speed of both rear wheels reaches a certain threshold.

Thank you for clarifying! I do remember that it was MLD but was surprised to see BLD mentioned.

Now it makes sense why BLD was mentioned under the open differential variant as well. So does that mean the Petrol LX HT manual does not come with a MLD anymore? I am more inclined towards the petrol engine for 2 reasons,

1. The BS6 diesels are too complicated and also the need to be mindful of DEF level is an additional thing to remember.
2. Although I used to swear by diesel engines, the future of diesels does not seem so promising. Also my past 2 cars being petrol and also high on fun has given me the reason to consider the petrol over the diesel.

I am considering buying the Thar for fun and to also get into off-roading on weekends. It has a strong want factor.

[cool_dube]

Originally Posted by Shanksta

So does that mean the Petrol LX HT manual does not come with a MLD anymore?

That is correct. The petrol Thar does not get MLD anymore irrespective of the variant, not even as an option.

Originally Posted by Shanksta

I am more inclined towards the petrol engine for 2 reasons

I picked up a petrol Thar 3 years back mainly to avoid DPF issues since I was planning to use the Thar for short runs as well. Equally compelling reason was the superb mStallion mill which blew me away in a single test drive - silky smooth and silent with amazing low-end torque! Since my usage for the Thar was expected to be low (which did turn out to be the case), the abysmal FE has not pinched me as much. A word of caution here - please be mindful of this point if you intend to use your Thar for long distance hauls or if your running will be on the higher side, as petrol bills will make your eyes water.

Originally Posted by Shanksta

I am considering buying the Thar for fun and to also get into off-roading on weekends.

It is a weekend toy for me as well

Good luck!

[ballfry]

Originally Posted by Shanksta

If I am buying the BLD variant, how can I confirm during PDI that I am indeed getting a Thar equipped with the MLD ?

Kindly let me know.

Here is a quote of a prior reply. Can get under the rear of the car and confirm on the PDI that it is indeed a MLD.
Hope that helps

Originally Posted by ballfry

Hi, There is a picture of the rear diff on my That Diesel AT 4x4 with MLD.

Look for a similar sticker on your vehicle.

[drift2race]

Originally Posted by Traxxrc1

Anyone has any idea about the options available to bump up the power for diesel Thar.
I have asked multiple tuners but no one is offering a stage 1 remap. And regarding the tuning box, I have my reservation with using a single channel tuning box in a DPF equipped vehicle.
Anyone has any leads?

Two options in Delhi are Gttunerz and Autopsyche . I had contacted Gttunerz for a power upgrade on my Ciaz (1.4 Litre 2017 Model) with a full system exhaust and they did have a tune. Try contacting them for a fool proof work on your Thar (3 door or Roxx)

[Traxxrc1]

GT tunerz don’t have a tune as of now. The ECU is locked, it seems. I also have 3 cars remapped by them and they are running fine.

Regarding Autopsyche, I called them to inquire about the map and they said they do have a map available and refused to share any further details. More searching revealed that they havesome partnership with Code 6 who are already offering a stage 2 map for the 2024 THAR. This also requires ECU replacement.

I am not willing for changes that extensive, so I decided to shy away from Autopsyche. Moreover, their response was not very welcoming.

[drift2race]

Changing ECU is never advised , i have come across DieselTronic (https://dieseltronic.in) as well . A plug and Play unit which is better for Diesel Engines , Here's contact details for retailers in Delhi .