Jun 10, 2009 08:34 PM
11215 Views
Safari was not in race. I was looking for car. A relative said - Why not try Safari, as it was recommended to him by a Doctor. ( This guy lives in US and drove a comfortable car for last few years, everyday 100 kms + had acquired a back pain, so doctor told him to buy something which is very comfortable and allows him to keep his back straight while driving. ) The logic struck as I also drive about 90 kilometers when going to GGN office from Noida.
So finally, after looking a Scorpio, Innova and Safari. I chose Safari. It took me several trials, as I was not very convinced abt Tata reliability. Initially, Safari was in garage for 5 days with first 30 days, with an oil leakage + poor door close + wiper not working properly, fan belt or some belt broke. But thereafter, I have driven to Lucknow, Agra, Jaipur with full load of people and luggage. THE Safari runs smooth and comfortable.
Scorpio rolls and bounces on rough / uneven road + space between the gear knob and console is very little, so it feels uneasy + lack of space wrt Safari . Innova seats do not adjust for height, and luggage space is very low.
Mileage : 12.5 in city and 14 on highways with 6 people and AC, when driving in band of 65 - 80 kmph.
Gear change - smooth and well positioned knob.
Acceleration : smooth and plenty of it even at 120 kmph.
Cabin Lights : powerful and easy to use.
Seats - very good. Driver seat is height adjustable, so my wife can easily drive.
Music system - very good ( I also own a real quality Component system in my home.)
NVR : acceptable for diesel. Imported brands are much quieter and they cost much higher.
Problems after initial stage : none.
Service ( Sterling Auto, Noida ) - good. improved a lot in last 4 months.
Parking issues : same as with any other car or SUV of same size ( lenght ) but I find it easy.
Feeling after changing over to Safari - it is open car, non cluttered. U can see the crowd below.
Cars which I driven a lot across last 15 years : Nissan/ Toyota/ Maruti.
Why I chose to write now : because it is based on 20, 000 kilometers with Safari.
Does my wife drive Safari : Yes, she does pretty often, though she finds it difficult to park in NehruPlace kind of area.
