[fjcruiser08]

Originally Posted by Vinod_nair

Neat roof rack, even the HT seems to be from them, brake light above the spare wheel like wrangler.
Thanks for sharing.

Yes; apparently a metal hard top that’s also detachable. Am linking another recent video of theirs. Try not to laugh at the RGB headlights

https://youtu.be/sam8MipdRwk

[Pancham]

Originally Posted by fjcruiser08

Yes; apparently a metal hard top that’s also detachable. Am linking another recent video of theirs. Try not to laugh at the RGB headlights

Sorry but the entire mod is laughable. 'Jeep' logos everywhere is downright wannabe. We can 'NOT' speak about those headlights. The hard top makes it look out of place. The list is endless.

The Thar has so much mod potential but not even a single mod in this car is desirable.

[84.monsoon]

Hi, has any our owners bought floor mats? The basic plastic sheet the Thar comes with on the floor is slippery and poor in aesthetics. It also gathers and shows off all the dirt and sand accumulation very poorly. I am not sure the floor mats can hold on to this surface and not slide around. The dealer is offering the standard M&M floor mat as an accessory, however it does not look robust.

[Kosfactor]

Originally Posted by 84.monsoon

Hi, has any our owners bought floor mats? The basic plastic sheet the Thar comes with on the floor is slippery and poor in aesthetics. It also gathers and shows off all the dirt and sand accumulation very poorly. I am not sure the floor mats can hold on to this surface and not slide around. The dealer is offering the standard M&M floor mat as an accessory, however it does not look robust.

I do not own this model vehicle but Elegant brand is what I use, you can check out their website and order directly from there. They have a whatsapp channel for queries as well.

Link

Mahindra dealers used to stock the same model earlier as freebies with their vehicles, of late Elegant has become pricey and disappeared from dealers.

[Vinod_nair]

Originally Posted by 84.monsoon

Hi, has any our owners bought floor mats? The basic plastic sheet the Thar comes with on the floor is slippery and poor in aesthetics. It also gathers and shows off all the dirt and sand accumulation very poorly. I am not sure the floor mats can hold on to this surface and not slide around. The dealer is offering the standard M&M floor mat as an accessory, however it does not look robust.

Noodle mats is what I'll get, a roll of it cut to size front to back, lots of colour choices available.

Stick double sided velcro straps for sturdy fix.

[Sankar]

In USofA Mahindra lost against FCA; they said you can't put vertical slat grills, can't keep tub height same as hood, can't use clips on hood, can't make hood and front end that curve around headlights etc etc; in short Mahindra had to redesign the Roxor from looking like a GI Joe to WallE.

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/inter...ml#post4890259 (Mahindra loses Roxor (Jeep lookalike) case in US)

Here in their home base they did all these and made the Thar look like a Jeep Wrangler clone - bonnet clips (although they don't work as good), tub same height as hood, vertical grill, hood and front end design that curves around headlight, interior, even speaker placement, and removable doors. Although Mahindra has put Thar logo everywhere and on all corners of the vehicle to remind the people that they are not looking at a Jeep but a Thar because it looks like a Wrangler. I am not complaining though. Probably that is why it has been a runaway success and lured so many people into buying (booking) one including me (PS: can't afford a real Wrangler, not even a used one).

Sorry but the entire mod is laughable. 'Jeep' logos everywhere is downright wannabe.

I think they are paying tribute to the original inspiration behind the Thar Thar is a vehicle Mahindra wanted to call JEEP but they can't, because Chrysler took that privilege away when Mahindra collaborated with Ford's re-entry into India in the 90s with the Ford Escort.

[84.monsoon]

Originally Posted by Kosfactor

I do not own this model vehicle but Elegant brand is what I use, you can check out their website and order directly from there. They have a whatsapp channel for queries as well.

Link

Mahindra dealers used to stock the same model earlier as freebies with their vehicles, of late Elegant has become pricey and disappeared from dealers.

Thanks, checked their site and they do not yet seem to have customized mats for the Thar 2020. Although the site is titled as Thar 2020 accessories, once you select individual product, it is only available for XUV300 and KUV100.

[Kosfactor]

Originally Posted by 84.monsoon

Thanks, checked their site and they do not yet seem to have customized mats for the Thar 2020. Although the site is titled as Thar 2020 accessories, once you select individual product, it is only available for XUV300 and KUV100.

Please contact them on Whatsapp through the button on the website, I had ordered a Mat that was not listed in their website last time, they sent me a link through Whatsapp to place the order.

I contacted them today, they told me that its available on order. worth a try.

[Mu009]

Originally Posted by isldhn

Guys, have come across a road block.

I rarely give this advise, but I would strongly suggest going with the head over the heart on this one. I'll try my best to get the point across.

Before I begin, you must understand that ride quality is a highly subjective thing. I mostly disagree strongly with "reviews" (even the official reviews here) on this count. It's about how you like to drive over different surfaces and what types of roads you encounter frequently. Moreover, it's about what trade-offs you find comfortable just within the ride department (example - truck-like jittery/shivery ride on expressway joints, but the ability to flatten out very rough roads at about 50-60kph). Depending on that, your understanding of good ride quality, and choice of car and/or route can vary significantly.Do not take anyone else's word for ride quality and related upgrades.

While:
1. Yes, doubtless there will be upgrades to better rims and tyres, and to the suspension to make the ride better.
2. Yes, the ride will improve significantly after the above upgrades, adjustment of tyre pressure and driving style.

But:
1. DO NOT BUY a car based on nebulous ideas of upgrades which you haven't even experienced for yourself.
2. Also, though substantial, said upgrades will likely not be enough to compensate for someone who found the ride quite so unsettled in the first go.
3. I know a thing or two about passengers with motion sickness. For perspective, I speak from the experience of having driven a ladder-frame ~15k kms in the hills over the past 28 months (out of a total 60k kms), and having experienced 4 different tyre brands on the same model - it is the best riding truck in the country and I hustle it through corners like a hot hatch in the hills/on ghats. Then, it is not lateral movement, but body roll (sideways movement) that induces vomiting in passengers. Nothing a dose of Stemitil MD 1-1.5 hours before the drive doesn't fix.

From the above, and from the information you've provided, my inferences are:
1. Even if it is a 3rd car, it will be hell for your family if it doesn't fit with them. You'll have to go in the Duster with your wife, and without her in the Thar. 3rd car or 2nd, the beautiful proposition of a convertible under 15l or not, I suspect such a limitation will severely limit both usage and pleasure.
2. 15l is still a lot of money to take a gamble with, just on the basis of convertible and looks (or views on upgrades for a brand new model by unknown well-wishers on the internet), a third car or second car is still a possession that you have to take care of a lot.
3. That said, it can still easily even be the 2nd car (forget 3rd - sell the Baleno if you must), but for that, test drive thoroughly. Ask your wife to take a Stemitil MD (STANDARD DISCLAIMER: please consult a qualified professional before taking such a step, I'm not liable for anything and give the above recommendation as a lay man on best effort basis), and take a vigorous test drive of the Thar on bad roads and ghats. Try that even in the Duster and see the difference. That might help you decide.
4. That way you may at least end up with the Thar as a city/short getaway car with the family + long trips for you, or who knows - maybe even more. *shrugs*

But tread with caution. Even though I think the Thar is fairly overpriced (speaking as someone who hates most Indian customers and their mentalities, and thinks most Indian cars are very fairly/sometimes even cheaply priced), the drivetrains + convertible + looks really do pull at the heart strings, hence my protracted clarification after the initial reaction of telling you to stay away.

Anyhow, point is - sounds like it is not a great option for you, so make sure you test drive and satisfy yourself and your family before buying. Don't trust people on the internet (however well meaning), since all of us are different. An already made booking + "risk" of an even longer waiting period shouldn't be a purchase factor. And neither should convertible under 15l + looks make you buy something with severe deal breakers that you wind up putting on the market in a few months.

Hope that makes sense/helps.
Cheers!

[WemaKadphises]

The dealer with whom I had my booking for my Thar Diesel Hartdtop MT (Lucknow,Date is October 17th) has gone awfully quiet after making tall promises of delivery in December. Many people who have booked in November or as I suspect are using their VIP status already got the vehicle delivered, much to my chagrin. It seems like everything else in India, unless you are a celebrity/VVIP you are the mercy of the dealers.

[Jaggu]

Originally Posted by isldhn

She felt too many vibrations and lateral movements and felt that this would not be comfortable as she gets motion sickness too. I currently drive a Baleno and a Duster and although I prepared her before the test drive that it is not going to be a smooth ride as the duster's but frankly speaking, did not expect such lateral movements and jumpiness even on a flat tarmac.

Well, this is the fact, Thar cannot be as comfy as a modern-day car, it is a EDIT: body on ladder frame chassis, and that has limitations.

My question now is, would there in the future be available some mods to make the ride more plush. I mean some modifications to the suspension etc.

Few after-market damper options would be available in the future, which should make it a little stiffer. But don't expect this also to be car-like, maybe it will give it slightly better high-speed dynamics than low speeds.

As a second or third vehicle, it will make sense in your case. Take multiple test drives and then take a final call.

[zzzehar]

I had booked the Thar in first week of Jan 2021 after a couple of test drives. These test drives were short, up to 5 KM and the max I could do was 90 KMPH and that too within city limits for a very brief period of time. It was barely enough to test the vehicle stability and comfort on longer drives. The delivery date promised to me was 7 Oct 2021. I was okay with it as I secretly wished for Mahindra to iron out niggles observed in initial batches and learn from issues from the vehicles coming in for service. However, most importantly, I was willing to wait as it would give me adequate time to test drive the vehicle multiple times and perhaps even do a longer road trip by renting the Thar before putting my money down.

I visited the Mahindra showroom in Gurgaon last Sunday and the sales person agreed to offer me a longer test drive on NH8 and the surrounding area. We do a lot of highway trips and drive for about 1000 to 1200 KM in a month. I had a Swift ZDi and Ford Ecosport before this and have booked diesel automatic hard top Thar in LX variant. We drove for about 20 KM on NH8 and took the Thar up to 110 KMPH. While it appeared acceptable on good roads, I felt there is a constant shake in the body of the vehicle which in turn is causing your body to shake, just a tiny bit but constantly. I thought it was acceptable for the vehicle of this nature and size. Till this time, I was convinced that this is the vehicle and something both my and I could live with at least for half a decade (we tend to keep our cars really long, mostly till the end of their life).

We came back to the showroom and just casually decided to checkout XUV300. The moment we sat inside, our backs just felt so much comfortable in an instant and it was like I am sitting on a spa chair. We decided to take the XUV300 on exactly the same route we took the Thar to and to our amazement, it was significantly better in terms to ride quality, comfort, composure and handling! I couldn't have realized this difference had I not driven both of them back to back.

Look, I'll be honest! We are all smitten by the looks of that Thar and it's 4x4 capability. Cumulatively, I must have driven cars for about 5L KM in my life and I have been to every nook and corner of the country (took the Ford Ecosport to Leh, Lahual and Spiti without a niggle or hesitation) and in all these years, perhaps it was twice that I felt I should have had 4x4 to be able to take the unchartered road ahead of me. I personally think the need for 4x4 in our country is grossly overrated. You find people living everywhere and well, their Maurti 800 or an Alto just does every kind of terrain with ease. Moreover, I think even if I have a 4x4 vehicle, I wouldn't dare go into really tough and unchartered terrains without backup or a support vehicle which isn't going to be possible, most of the time unless I am off-roading in a designated area which again doesn't seem to be a very common occurrence given our lifestyle. My driving perhaps would be 90% on road and 10% bad roads (as much off roading as Thar would see) throughout the life of the vehicle.

I love the Thar and my heart will always go out to it but our road infrastructure is so much better now and I will probably have to drive a lot to get myself onto a track I truly need a 4x4 for. To top that, it felt as if one would get tired in Thar in barely a couple of hours of drive and not arrive relaxed. I realized I like cars that handle well, are dynamically sorted and while not being exactly track worthy, give a sense of connection and control. We didn't feel this in that Thar at all. It was as if there is too much effort being put in to just drive the vehicle on a regular road. And then it wasn't much comfortable!

I'd suggest everyone who is smitten like me to test drive the Thar on your regular route a few times and if you can, do a few hundred KMs of trips on a rental vehicle to see if you can live with it every day. It looks great, but then there's nothing much apart from it unless you are confident that this vehicle is purpose built for your kind of on-road / off-road and lifestyle choices.

Our budget is strict (max around 15L) but since we must get a diesel and an automatic, we are now evaluating Seltos, Creta, Nexon (AMT isn't that bad) and XUV300 but mostly inclined towards Seltos except for that safety rating. I believe that for a vehicle to be safe, it MUST handle well and you MUST feel in control at a times - this for me is more important than the star rating (not saying that I will get something stupidly unsafe, which by the way Seltos might be). Let's see where our search ends but Thar is definitely out. I will lose Rs 2100 on the booking amount.

[cool_dube]

Originally Posted by zzzehar

We came back to the showroom and just casually decided to checkout XUV300...

I couldn't have realized this difference had I not driven both of them back to back...

Excellent narrative and definitely a must-read for first-time jeep/ladder-frame vehicle buyers! The difference in ride quality, handling, high-speed dynamics, ride comfort, etc. between a ladder-frame vehicle like the Thar and monocoque (or unitary) vehicle like the XUV 3OO is like night and day, no two thoughts about it. This is a hard fact despite all the razzmatazz by Mahindra.

This is not to discourage prospective buyers but to ensure that they take a well-informed/calculated decision before plonking their hard-earned money. The lure of owning a "4x4 jeep" can be strong enough to cloud one's grey matter in the short term and as pointed out by zzzehar, should be taken as a window of opportunity to reassess one's decision by doing more research and most importantly, taking longer test drives.

On a related note, I see Mahindra losing out on a lot of bookings due to this extended waiting period and consequent "thinking window" they are providing to prospective buyers of the Thar

Edit - please see this short article for basic gyan on the two body types

[Kosfactor]

Originally Posted by zzzehar

We came back to the showroom and just casually decided to checkout XUV300. The moment we sat inside, our backs just felt so much comfortable in an instant and it was like I am sitting on a spa chair. We decided to take the XUV300 on exactly the same route we took the Thar to and to our amazement, it was significantly better in terms to ride quality, comfort, composure and handling! I couldn't have realized this difference had I not driven both of them back to back.

Yes this is the reality. Also why Thar brand is a halo vehicle, it drags people (me too) into Mahindra showroom which lets be honest is not in anyone`s top 5 list of showrooms to visit while shopping for a passenger car.

As you said a body on frame vehicle that is tall and has a short wheelbase like Thar \ Jeep asks a lot from the driver, you have to have loads of patience, skill and experience to drive it comfortably so that your passengers wont curse you. Even if you have had several decades of experience in driving other types of vehicles, this is going to be a learning.

XUV3OO is a Sub4M CSUV that has surprised many speed demons, they felt right at home in terms of the engine response ,road grip and space inside - minus the boot.

[balenoed_]

Originally Posted by zzzehar

...Thar is definitely out.

Long story short, given your requirements and liking towards Seltos, Creta, Nexon, XUV5OO etc, THAR should not have been IN in the first place.