Initial Impressions From The Jeep Ownership

Now I'm no auto expert and my comments should be taken with a pinch of salt. With whatever little experience I've had driving, I'm putting down all that I could notice with the Thar. No technical jargons, no indepth discussion on the technical aspects, just plain simple layman experience of the jeep. 

• The engine is butter smooth, the noise & vibration levels are far better than the conventional jeeps
• The steering needs a bit of getting used to, but maneuverability in traffic is quite good
• Rattling and squeaking come free as a part of the overall package, my jeep has been squeaking and rattling since the time of delivery – I now consider this as a part of the jeep music but would want to have it fixed soon
• Interiors are really basic and there’s nothing to write about them – I knew it so I don’t hate it
• The OVRM is decent but the side mirrors are quite pathetic – both in build quality and in terms of the view they offer
• The brakes made me feel at home like with the Enfield – you need to press them and quickly say a prayer. Even then they’d only slow down the jeep and not stop it quickly, so you need to add engine braking as a standard feature for assisted braking. The manual says that the brakes need like 3 months to break-in or something, wonder what someone is supposed to do until then.
• The suspension was really jumpy at the back, but I guess it’s the initial phase and it will finally settle in over time
• The soft top is quite good enough to insulate noise and have the A/C work decently in the Bangalore weather.
• The rubber mats are very “sasta” (cheap) quality and I will need to find better replacement for it soon.
• The door handles, enough has been said about them already. I’m just being careful all the time not to break them in the initial few weeks, but I’m sure they’ll be due for replacement by the first service.
• The wipers feel funny, but they’re typical for a jeep so no real complaint there.
• The body panels are painted well but have spot welding dents all over. The black color actually shows up the deformities a lot than the Rocky Beige I guess.

Overall, I still am glad that I got the Thar. All the shortcomings are more like characteristics of the jeep that I have come to terms with in order to enjoy what lies beyond them.  I’m now eagerly waiting for an OTR event to be scheduled in and around Bangalore to learn the tricks of the trade and put the beast to good use.