Re: Pre Owned Safari I have a pre-owned Safari and use it in a similar fashion, weekend drives and occasional long highway run. The 2.2 is the best Safari made till date, not counting the Storme. There are 3 types of Safaris, one is TCIC, then Dicor and then 2.2
The TCIC sells from 1-2.5 lakhs, the Dicor sells for 3 lakhs and the 2.2 starts from 3 to maybe even 10 depending on what model it is
The best model to go for would be a 2006-2009 2.2 which can be had easily for under 5 lakhs
Safari is bought with the heart, so if your friend is looking for a no-nonsense vehicle then the Safari would be a hand-full. I have a lot of electrical problems in the Safari, some fuse or the other keeps blowing, few weeks back it was the AC fuse blowing which got fixed for 100 bucks, last week it was the headlight fuse blowing which got fixed for free! That is another thing, you develop a very good relationship with your garage
Its a tough vehicle, very comfortable and the best SUV you can get looking from a VFM point of view in the second-hand market
The mileage is another story, it varies from 6-17, depending on how you drive. On long drives sticking at 2,000 rpm I have got 17kmpl without AC and on drives which border on racing in the city with AC on I have had to live with 6-7kmpl. The key is, drive it around 2,000 rpm always, keep changing gears but somehow do not cross 2,000 rpm. It idles around 900 rpm, shift to first, go to 2,000 then shift to second, it will fall to 1,300 rpm then wait till you hit 2,000 and shift to third, that is the best way to squeeze the maximum out of every litre of diesel
The maintenance costs are 10,000 every year, I give it to the TASS every year or 10,000 kilometres, whichever is earlier and that has been my average cost, on a monthly basis I spend 250 on an average in sorting out niggles, it visits a garage every 2 months due to some issue or the other. I do not know if the vehicle is to blame or the mechanics are to be blamed, because the same problems recur
The TCIC was the most over-engineered Safari built, it was designed back when Mercedes Benz cars rolled off Tata assembly lines and Tata took a lot of help from Mercedes engineers in designing the vehicle, from day-one it was designed to sell in the European market. My vehicle is pushing 15 years and has no rust, done 1,15,000 kilometres and has a sealed engine. Its the plastics that are aging, getting brittle and breaking off. A good TCIC Safari if maintained with love can last a life-time
Stay off the DICOR, that one has a 407 engine and was a stop-gap model between the TCIC and 2.2. There are plenty of DICORs in the second-hand market though only a handful of them were sold, its very difficult to distinguish a 2.2 from DICOR for a layman so ensure you know what you are looking for
I have heard rumours that 2.2 engine parts cost a bomb, but you will have to wait for the Owners here to comment
The icing on the cake would be picking a Safari 4x4. I got lucky, mine has a borg-warner shift on the move 4x4 system, it works even if you have not used it for months together, awesome stuff to brag about amongst friends!
The formula I used when buying my vehicle, I first struck a deal with the TASS, told them that I was looking for a Safari and would be coming to them for regular service after purchasing the vehicle, I requested them to 'check' vehicles that I would bring to them over a month and advice me on the condition and the price I could pay, they happily agreed. I then began shopping at second-hand dealers, whenever I identified a potential purchase I took it to the TASS and had them give it the once-over. The first one was rejected since the price the TASS advised me was not acceptable to the dealer who was selling the vehicle, the second vehicle was accident repaired according to the TASS the third vehicle passed their 'test' and is now standing outside my house. They advised me to buy it for 1,80,000 to 2,00,000 I stuck with that and bought it for 2,00,000. The dealer was quoting 2.5 for it and was not ready to come below 2.25 but I did not budge an inch, we went back and forth for an hour and when I was about to get up from my seat not wanting to pay 2,05,000 even the dealer buckled and settled for 2
Happy hunting
Last edited by TheARUN : 1st December 2013 at 05:40.
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