BHPian shankar.balan recently shared this with other enthusiasts: Quote from BHPian starter:While i understand the emotion and love for Gypsies, calling the stock gypsy ride pliant is a far stretch (the stock tyres make it even worse).I wanted to specifically reply to this, again. No emotion. No fanboy stuff. Just facts being reiterated based on my experience and a specific refresher, last evening. I am visiting Udaipur right now with family – my wife who is recovering from an ortho thing bit whose birthday it is. And my 83 year old Dad. We are at a resort in the scrub jungle clad Aravalli hills outside of Udaipur. The resort folks suggested a Gypsy mini Safari into the scrub jungles where there are no roads, only stony tracks with lots of significant ups and downs. Everyone said ‘Yes’. My Dad, I can understand despite his age, because he has used Jeeps for many years. When offered the choice between an old Willys and the Gypsy he clearly and unhesitatingly said Gypsy. Here is the old Willlys SWB; My wife who has always been a highly reluctant, yet sporting passenger in my Gypsys, also surprisingly said a Yes!. And wonder of wonders, she said she wanted to sit in the bench seats at the rear. And my Dad said the same.Roaming In An Open Top Maruti Suzuki GypsyThe Open top Gypsy came. As can be seen it was quite a battered one, being rough used for a good long time. Here it is; It is a completely stock Mpfi 1.3 litre G13BB. On opening the bonnet I observed the valve cover had a black oil patch on the side which means it is definitely time for them to change the head gasket etc. The only change made in the interiors is a bit of rexine upholstery on the seats but even that has begun to tear. This Gypsy had Yokohama Geolandar tyres which are also rough used but in reasonable condition. Engine sounded perfectly smooth. Gearbox was not rough. A Working 4×4. Steering ‘box’ was shot, one could hear the groan and feel the pain when turning the steering wheel. There was the driver, the attendant who carried a picnic box and a few decathlon chairs. Me, my wife and my Dad. Driver drove. I sat in front. Dad, Wifey and Attendant on the bench seats in the back. We took at 7-8 km drive on the jungle trails pictured here. We also used the NH27 highway for a short bit before turning off to Udai Sagar lake on the banks of which we were served some high tea. The Jungle Trail ride; Ride QualityAt the end of the ride, both my Father and my Wife actually said the ride was absolutely comfortable. I too sat in the rear bench along with my wife on the return because the temperature had dropped and I asked my Dad to sit in front even though the window winder handle had fallen off. Sitting in the back and being driven at about 40-60kmph, I also found the Gypsy perfectly comfortable. You must appreciate that I never sit in the back and have not sat in my own Gypsys’ rear benches in a very long time. Yet, I promise you the ride was comfortable despite the terrain! There is something about the longer wheel base of the Gypsy and the engineering of that so-called ‘archaic’ leaf spring suspension, that is effective and pliant over undulations and the chassis frame upon which the body rests, does twist under articulation. However, the stock vehicle is definitely better than all those modified ones. And again, I do firmly state that my Jimny feels more bumpy under articulation than this Gypsy did. This is the plain truth, believe it or not. As a long time Gypsy owner, I can safely state that I do have more than enough experience with these vehicles in order to be able to ‘feel’ the difference and write about it. Anyway, long story short, I maintain that the Gypsy is still one of the most versatile and effective vehicles out there, for this kind of terrain. It is near perfect. There is nothing quite like a Gypsy. And I so badly miss mine. Check outBHPian commentsfor more insights and information.
