My Stint Purchasing a Used Tata Safari

[Sreejith]

HI team , I am back with the long story again , this time it’s about my purchase of a used safari , I was looking for neatly maintained car not much mileage on the ODO should not have more that 1 owner, I knew the niggles & the problems that this car has as I went thru many ownership threads & know about the service provided by TASS , well I was using a contessa earlier & was ready to live with the issues this car would have so began the search for the car was not looking for any 4x4 as I don’t go off roading & was looking for a car manufactured in or after 2007 & I wanted the 3.0 dicor , saw a car sliver color , 1st owner 72k on the odd , had alloys & I believe 235 tires , first impression the car was huge ( this was the first time I was driving a Safari) the interior was shabby with dust & paper littered around , so I start the car & that was a WOW experience the engine comes to a roar , check all the electricals 2 power windows switch does not function , the ac does not work , there was no smoke , had no back pressure , then open the bonnet the engine looks shabby again seems like it hasn’t been for service for a long time , I had a huge challenge in turning the steering while the car was stationery & the car was started the guy says that could be due the power steering oil , so I take the car for a small drive, liked the view from inside the car other motorists feel puny to you, liked the way all these autowallas give way to you when they see in their mirrors , so asked the guy for the price he quoted me a price of 5.60L for a 2006 model I say no its way too expensive for a 2006 model & moreover I have to spend a lot to have it serviced he says I will have to spend the money to have the car according to my taste .

I tell him that I will spend the money to have the car done according to my taste & that will be for the interior & not for the car to be road worthy ,then the guy asked me to speak to the owner & I start a chat with him & he says that’s the price he expects , so I tell him I will give him that price but he has to bear all the expense to have the car done according to my taste , he asks what are the problems with the car I tell him that the clutch is hard , there are issues with the steering , the ac does not work & the tire he has on the car are all worn out & will have to spend at least 5k on each tire & finally he agrees to come down to 4.3 , I tell the showroom guy that I will need the vehicle to have it checked from TASS he agrees but says that I will have to pay him 10 k up front , so I tell him I am ready to pay but he will need to give me an acknowledgement & that he will return the money if the car needs more work & if the price goes out of budget he does not agree , I tell I will get back to him on the same , I go to a SA who is a friend of mine in TASS & have a check with the vehicle # for the service history he asks for some time , in the mean time I was checking online for other vehicles & liked many but none were within my budget & few were already sold & my friend gets back to with the details & gives me a list of parts replaced after the car had met with an accident so I drop that car ….

While I was browsing online I came across an ad which had a 2007 model for sale he had quoted 4.75 with all alloy , good ice setup , touchscreen , , I fell for the car @ the first glance itself so I call up the guy & he says that the car is available , I could not go to him until weekend due to the kind of shift that I had so I take an appointment with him for Saturday & I get all the necessary documents ready & get the money as well , So I call him on Friday just to keep him informed that I am coming tomorrow & he gives me a shocker , he tells that a lady called him & informed that she will come & have a look @ the car & if she like she will take it & tells that he will call in the evening .So I wait patiently until evening & he calls me tells that the car is sold , the lady who bought the car was looking for a car to gift it to her grandson for his birthday (luck guy) , the guy told that the lady came , sat in the car just looked around gave the full cash to him asked her driver to drive the car home she did not even start the car , I say ok I will have to start searching again ( I don’t blame the guy as he is getting a good deal & that to in full cash ) so my search begins again , & one of my friends tells that he knows a guy as he bought a car from him few months back & asked me to check with him & give his # , so I call up the guy & he asks me to come by 4pm & it was raining cats & dogs in Bangalore then , so I reach his place by about 4.15 & he is having a chat with his dad about some business deal in Dubai , I wait patiently as I cannot go out as well due the rain, I should have guessed by then that I will not be able to get a good service but I was wanting a car badly so finally we get ready to go by 7 reach the place by 8 see the car , the car looks great it was a 2008 pearl white all looked well , I take a TD ,1st & 2nd gear works fine but does not slot into the 3rd gear & if by chance it slots in to the 3rd gear the vehicle vibrates like hell & comes to a halt as if there is no fuel in the car , then the guy says that he will have the repaired & then give it I deny ask him to get another one he takes 2days time & calls me & tells that there are 2 vehicles 1 is a normal white 4x2 well maintained & another is a black 4x4 , so I ask him to get the black one go to his place the next day & he gets the white one & says that the black is not good & has engine work .

I looked @ the car to be frank I did not like the white & grey body on the first go then I go for a small drive (30 kms it’s really a mile muncher you never get to know the kms done ) & I fell for this car again , interiors were neat , no mods done on the car , 2 issues that I noticed were clutch was very hard & the passenger side window does not align correctly when closed , finally we settle for a price of 4.50 it’s a 2007 model run 60k on the ODO , the next day I tell him that I will need to get the car checked by TASS he agrees & take the car to TASS but unfortunately my friend is not there & I have to take a prior appointment to get a mechanic check , then I quickly call up Prerana & book a checkup service & the lady asks me to come by 12 so I go there by 12.15 & she says I can go meet the SA, I go to him & he says that my vehicle # has not been forwarded to him by the lady who took the appointment & when I ask her she tells Sorry sir , I forgot to send that & I tell the SA that it’s just a general checkup would hardly take 15 mins & need to get this done as I am buying the car the SA out rightly denies & asks me to come the next day , that was the last day I went there & promised myself that I will never go there again got the feel of TASS even before I bought the car .


I go back to the guy & told him that I could not have the car check & will need the car again to have it check as I had taken appointment from Aadya on Hebbal road the guy initially denies that but later agrees , so the next day I take the car to TASS those guys there was very courteous answers all my queries , checked everything is fine except for the clutch & I will need to have it changed I agreed so on the way back & pay 50k & take the acknowledgement , come home get all the documents ready & wait for the approval & that took about 2 weeks as the guy from the bank asked for the documents 1 @ a time .

Finally got the approval letter & wait , the sales guy tells me that the car is in Hospet & that I will need to wait for a week & I do that patiently & then I call him again he does not answer the call , does not reply to messages & 1 day he picks up the call I blast him he asks for some more time as he is busy with Ramzan celebrations I thought not to ruin his festive celebrations & I keep quiet for a week , the stint goes on for a long time which I am not going to explain as this will take another page for me to type & finally after a wait of 2 months from the day I gave him the advance I get the car , the issue was the car was been sold by another used car dealer & this guy dealt with him & sold the car to me so I bought a car from a used car dealer who in turn bought from another dealer & will pay him only once I pay & I never met the other dealer & on the day I took delivery my friend drove it to his place & to take his bike he calls me & says that the car is staller reason there is no diesel & the battery died down so I get a mechanic & few liters of diesel start the car & take it home .I have few question which I will post later on & will have the pics posted as well .Sorry for the long story again .

 

[Akash]

Re: My stint purchasing a used SAFARI

Oh, thats a long story with so many twists. I must admit getting a used car and that too for an enthusiast is a tough job. Waiting for your the twisty tale to complete. Do post some pics soon.

 

[Sreejith]

Story of the ownership continued , drove the car for about 110 kms on the day I got the car , there was an issue where the clutch was slipping , went to a known friend to have the glass tinted he took about 3 hours to complete while returning I felt like the brake for not good enough then felt like the car will not stop on applying the brakes , next day took an appointment with Aadya motors , told him about the clutch , brakes , squeaking noise from the seat , roof light not turning on , 1 of the headlights does not work on low beam & finally about the window glass ,the SA takes the car for a TD & says that the brakes are working fine & might need to have the brake liner replaced I agree (thought of changing all fluids but wanted to wait to check the kind of service I get ) , he gave me a ball part figure of 13k as the entire clutch assembly had to be replaced & assures that he will deliver the car the next day .
I wait for his call but no info from him , so I call him up & he asks me to come in an hour as they are waiting for the car to be washed , I reach there & the car was ready for delivery & was shocked again by the way they did the service , there was grease marks on the bonnet , the tint on the window was half gone ( the service guy cut it when he was working on the windows ) the bulbs were not changed ,the SA told that the brakes was worked on & he gave me a total bill of 16500 , I denied paying him until I get all the issues sorted out , so they replaced all the bulbs , had the car washed but did not have the tints & I was hell bent that I want the tints replaced & he asked me to go to a shop nearby & have the tints replaced I denied again & finally after a small escalation they gave me a discount of 1300 on the bill .I know that I was still ripped off , but finally I learnt a lesson that I should never visit a TASS again .

 

[Sam Dinkar]

What a way to start your membership - travails of buying a used Safari ! Frankly, it does seem that you got ripped off. Even a new Safari develops so many problems so you must be a brave man to go in for a used one, that too from an unknown seller. But at the end of the day, if your heart was (is!) set on not, any money that you spend on it is worthwhile. All the best and keep posting. Do post a few snaps so that experts on this forum could guide you on further course of action. All the best !

 

[Sreejith]

Guys I have a question , the 1st pic is how the car looks ( sorry for the poor pic , will update the pictures soon) & I feel that the front looks blant & would like to change the grill like in the 2nd pic would that be possible .Just added the grill thru MS paint

 

[Sam Dinkar]

Guys I have a question , the 1st pic is how the car looks ( sorry for the poor pic , will update the pictures soon) & I feel that the front looks blant & would like to change the grill like in the 2nd pic would that be possible .Just added the grill thru MS paint

That grille in the first pic....OH MY GOD ! You have got yourself the 3.0 litre Dicor (LX) Model (unless the grille is not an original one). This one was a real lemon from Tata, a Spacio DI engine with a common rail head. It revs up only till 3000 rpm (please post a picture of the rpm meter to confirm if it is indeed a 3.0 Dicor) and is a rubbish engine for the city. Things do improve on the highway, though. I don't know what came over you/who advised you to go for this model. How much did you pay for it? The only Safaris worth buying are the ones with the 2.2 litre Dicor engine. The 2.2 Dicors come with the same grille that you have posted in your second pic.

The grille would be a straight fit on your Safari, no problems at all. But personally, I think the present grille looks much classy. You can alternatively try the chromed version of the present grille (should be available with your Tata dealer/in the grey market). Keep us posted!

 

[raj_5004]

^^^

The 3.0 Dicor engine, though crude & lacklustre to drive, is the most reliable engine in the Safari history since it has its roots attached to the Tata 407 tempo.

 

[Sam Dinkar]

^^^

The 3.0 Dicor engine, though crude & lacklustre to drive, is the most reliable engine in the Safari history since it has its roots attached to the Tata 407 tempo.

Correct. But since it's a Safari, something or the other apart from the engine would ensure that the vehicle remains ultra unreliable !

 

[Sreejith]

@ Sam I beg to differ on this piece , I dont think that the engine is a lemon I agree that this is not suited for city drive but most of my drives will be on the highways & I did not like the old TCIC engine as I felt that it was underpowered for the size of the vehicle & frankly no fun driving on the highways , yes this is the 3.0 engine 2007 LX , why go to 3000 rpm when the engine revs well b/w 2000-2400 rpm & if go the teh first few lines of the post again I have agreed that Tata vehicles are know for their niggles I used to have a HM contessa before which had the HM diesel engine aka the matador & I am used to all such niggles , its just that I drive the car hardly for 800-1000 kms in a month rather the vehicle will be driven just for 8-10 days in a month & its for the sheer enthusiasm that you buy such vehicles even though you know the problems that you will face.

 

[mastersquall]

HI team , I am back with the long story again , this time it’s about my purchase of a used safari , I was looking for neatly maintained car not much mileage on the ODO should not have more that 1 owner, I knew the niggles & the problems that this car has as I went thru many ownership threads & know abou..................is busy with Ramzan celebrations I thought not to ruin his festive celebrations & I keep quiet for a week , the stint goes on for a long time which I am not going to explain as this will take another page for me to type & finally after a wait of 2 months from the day I gave him the advance I get the car , the issue was the car was been sold by another used car dealer & this guy dealt with him & sold the car to me so I bought a car from a used car dealer who in turn bought from another dealer & will pay him only once I pay & I never met the other dealer & on the day I took delivery my friend drove it to his place & to take his bike he calls me & says that the car is staller reason there is no diesel & the battery died down so I get a mechanic & few liters of diesel start the car & take it home .I have few question which I will post later on & will have the pics posted as well .Sorry for the long story again .

congrats Welcome to Safari club

Story of the ownership continued , drove the car for about 110 kms on the day I got the car , there was an issue where the clutch was slipping , went to a known friend to have the glass tinted he took about 3 hours to complete while returning I felt like the brake for not good enough then felt like the car will not stop on applying the brakes , next day took an appointment with Aadya motors , told him about the clutch , brakes , squeaking noise from the seat , roof light not turning on , 1 of the headlights does not work on low beam & finally about the window glass ,the SA takes the car for a TD & says that the brakes are working fine & might need to have the brake liner replaced I agree (thought of changing all fluids but wanted to wait to check the kind of service I get ) , he gave me a ball part figure of 13k as the entire clutch assembly had to be replaced & assures that he will deliver the car the next day .
I wait for his call but no info from him , so I call him up & he asks me to come in an hour as they are waiting for the car to be washed , I reach there & the car was ready for delivery & was shocked again by the way they did the service , there was grease marks on the bonnet , the tint on the window was half gone ( the service guy cut it when he was working on the windows ) the bulbs were not changed ,the SA told that the brakes was worked on & he gave me a total bill of 16500 , I denied paying him until I get all the issues sorted out , so they replaced all the bulbs , had the car washed but did not have the tints & I was hell bent that I want the tints replaced & he asked me to go to a shop nearby & have the tints replaced I denied again & finally after a small escalation they gave me a discount of 1300 on the bill .I know that I was still ripped off , but finally I learnt a lesson that I should never visit a TASS again .

as expected . i would suggest only visit TASS if outside mechanic can't solve problem

What a way to start your membership - travails of buying a used Safari ! Frankly, it does seem that you got ripped off. Even a new Safari develops so many problems so you must be a brave man to go in for a used one, that too from an unknown seller. But at the end of the day, if your heart was (is!) set on not, any money that you spend on it is worthwhile. All the best and keep posting. Do post a few snaps so that experts on this forum could guide you on further course of action. All the best !

when you hear you heart you don't care about anything same thing happened with sreejith

^^^

The 3.0 Dicor engine, though crude & lacklustre to drive, is the most reliable engine in the Safari history since it has its roots attached to the Tata 407 tempo.

indeed . mechanic still love it .

Correct. But since it's a Safari, something or the other apart from the engine would ensure that the vehicle remains ultra unreliable !

there is major difference between unreliable and niggle word . how many times have you heard safari giving up in middle road . they never(except few cases which has happened with all car maker) they always brought there owner home safe this is reason till today TCIC engine are still running . yes ac stop working or other stuff like power window stop working its called niggle not unreliability .

3.0 engine is best engine why just go to any mechanic and ask . its more mechanic friendly compare to 2.2 .

That grille in the first pic....OH MY GOD ! You have got yourself the 3.0 litre Dicor (LX) Model (unless the grille is not an original one). This one was a real lemon from Tata, a Spacio DI engine with a common rail head. It revs up only till 3000 rpm (please post a picture of the rpm meter to confirm if it is indeed a 3.0 Dicor) and is a rubbish engine for the city. Things do improve on the highway, though. I don't know what came over you/who advised you to go for this model. How much did you pay for it? The only Safaris worth buying are the ones with the 2.2 litre Dicor engine. The 2.2 Dicors come with the same grille that you have posted in your second pic.

The grille would be a straight fit on your Safari, no problems at all. But personally, I think the present grille looks much classy. You can alternatively try the chromed version of the present grille (should be available with your Tata dealer/in the grey market). Keep us posted! .

have you ever owned safari ? i have owned it and i have driven it 80% in city only . there are lot of 3.0 compare to 2.2 in delhi if it was case then no one would have drove it . also why you need 3000RPM may i ask . are you racing or what .

3.0 can go 176(confirmed it using GPS) before touching 3000 RPM but i would never never suggest to go above 100 even if you own most powerful sedan . its not safe in india to go over 100 . heck rpm don't even touch 2000 till 100speed . please share why you think it need more then 3000 RPM .

@ Sam I beg to differ on this piece , I dont think that the engine is a lemon I agree that this is not suited for city drive but most of my drives will be on the highways & I did not like the old TCIC engine as I felt that it was underpowered for the size of the vehicle & frankly no fun driving on the highways , yes this is the 3.0 engine 2007 LX , why go to 3000 rpm when the engine revs well b/w 2000-2400 rpm & if go the teh first few lines of the post again I have agreed that Tata vehicles are know for their niggles I used to have a HM contessa before which had the HM diesel engine aka the matador & I am used to all such niggles , its just that I drive the car hardly for 800-1000 kms in a month rather the vehicle will be driven just for 8-10 days in a month & its for the sheer enthusiasm that you buy such vehicles even though you know the problems that you will face.

correctly said

 

[Sam Dinkar]

congrats
there is major difference between unreliable and niggle word . how many times have you heard safari giving up in middle road . they never(except few cases which has happened with all car maker) they always brought there owner home safe this is reason till today TCIC engine are still running . yes ac stop working or other stuff like power window stop working its called niggle not unreliability .

Understandable. I am sorry but as I look at it, an automobile is the sum total of many parts, aggregates and equipments, all of which come together in a package to give it's owner what is then called a complete vehicle. Viewed singularly, a power window that gets misaligned/refuses to go up is nothing but unreliable. An AC which stops working in the middle of nowhere is unreliable. If the only paradigm of reliability is whether the engine gives up or not, why do people buy versions of cars with PS/PW/AC/CL etc? It's because all these additions to the basic package of an engine, gearbox, body and chassis are important to ensure comfort and safety. Anything that stops working every now and then is unreliable. Please check up PP100V/CSR data of reputed firms like JD Power in which Tata vehicles have always occupied the last three places.

3.0 engine is best engine why just go to any mechanic and ask . its more mechanic friendly compare to 2.2 .

You answered that yourself. I never said that the 3.0 Dicor is a bad engine. In the 407 application, this engine has a usable life of more than 3 lakh kms without any major rebuild. The same thing was going on in Tata's minds when it began development of a common rail head for the 3.0 DI engine. The most durable engine plus refinement of a common rail head would work wonders, or so Tata thought. But as the sales figures proved, the 3.0 Dicor Safari was the biggest dud in Tata's history, a fact that rushed the development of the 2.2 litre Dicor.

have you ever owned safari ? i have owned it and i have driven it 80% in city only . there are lot of 3.0 compare to 2.2 in delhi if it was case then no one would have drove it . also why you need 3000RPM may i ask . are you racing or what .

I have not owned one but I have driven Safaris for almost 1 lakh kilometres in various terrain and so I speak from experience. I have driven the TCIC, the 3.0 Dicor and the 2.2 Dicor and can justifiably say that the performance of the 2.2 Dicor is the best of the three. I have had both good and bad times with the Safari - there have been instances when brand new Safaris have fried their clutches, blown their fuses, have had gears that refuse to engage and their turbo hoses come off and then there have been times when they have offered me total bliss cruising on a highway at 120 kmph for kilometeres without end. I have driven other cars by other manufacturers with 1/4 the price of the Safari and they have never given me a single problem apart from punctures on any of my drives. All said and done, I love the Safari for all it's faults. The 3.0 Dicor Safari was not a bad vehicle by itself, but when compared to the 2.2, it pales in comparison. That's why I think that the 2.2 is a much better buy, if one has the option. As far as the 3000 rpm limit is concerned, let us not go into the technicalities, please drive the 2.2 version and you will understand the relationship between rpm, torque and driveability of a diesel vehicle.

3.0 can go 176(confirmed it using GPS) before touching 3000 RPM but i would never never suggest to go above 100 even if you own most powerful sedan . its not safe in india to go over 100 . heck rpm don't even touch 2000 till 100speed . please share why you think it need more then 3000 RPM .

I sincerely doubt this 176 kmph figure. Even the Tatas would not believe that the Safari could touch that speed. I am yet to come across a road test that claims that the 3.0 Dicor, with it's 3000 rpm limit and gearing could get anywhere near that speed. On a lighter note, maybe the GPS had caught the Safari gremlin

The Safari is a lovable vehicle, no doubt on that. I have many friend who would absolutely not sell their Safaris at any price. But when prodded, all of them would say that a little more reliability and trouble fee nature wouldn't hurt. Here's three cheers for another decade for the Merlin,then!

correctly said.

 

[mastersquall]

actually i never got single problem from my 3.0 since 2006 only this year its power window and ac problem appeared else it was like normal service and fill diesel and drive . So for me it was good experience . this is reason i went for 2.2 recently .

 

[Sam Dinkar]

actually i never got single problem from my 3.0 since 2006 only this year its power window and ac problem appeared else it was like normal service and fill diesel and drive . So for me it was good experience . this is reason i went for 2.2 recently .

Lucky you ! Wish all Safaris were so reliable. Wishing you miles of blissful motoring with your 2.2.

 

[smooth rider]

congrats sreejith on your safari. wishing you miles of niggle free drives. safari is on my radar too. hope to buy one in future.

 

[Sam Dinkar]

Sreejith: Any update on how's it all going?