What a Thar off-road build costs in India, part by part

If you have just bought a Thar, a Thar Roxx or a Jimny and want it to actually work off road, the money goes in a predictable order. Here are the current list prices from Bimbra 4x4, the Gurugram parts brand most Indian off-road shops fit, and what each part is for.

The short answer on prices

For the ladder-frame Thar, Bimbra lists its Proman 2 inch lift kit at ₹21,390 per set, with transport and installation extra. The fitting job itself is listed separately at ₹4,990 per set. If you want new dampers rather than a spacer-and-spring lift, the Profender suspension for the Thar is ₹47,490 per set.

The Thar Roxx is a monocoque, so it does not get the same treatment. Bimbra's part for it is a Proman levelling kit at ₹13,790 per set, which is about stance and clearance rather than a big lift.

Protection and armour: a functional diesel snorkel for the Thar is ₹12,990, rock sliders are ₹11,990 a pair, a Model R front steel bumper is ₹25,990 and the Model RM rear bumper is ₹23,490. For the Jimny, the functional snorkel is ₹9,490. Every one of those is quoted before transport and labour, so budget for both.

Fit it in this order

Tyres first. An all-terrain tyre in the stock size changes more on a trail than any other single spend, and it keeps your rolling diameter, speedometer and RC entry untouched.

Then underbody protection, because that is what you break first. On the retailer Automods, which stocks Bimbra parts, a front steel skid plate for the Thar is ₹4,990, a 3mm steel fuel tank protector for the Roxx is ₹7,990, an exhaust guard is ₹8,490 and full steel underbody protection is ₹16,490.

Rock sliders come before bumpers. Sill damage from a rock is expensive and common, and sliders double as a jacking point. Suspension comes after that, because a lift makes sense only once you know what tyre you are running.

Buy a snorkel only if you actually ford water. Bimbra's dummy snorkel is listed at ₹10,990 and is, by the seller's own description, non functional. The working diesel snorkel is ₹12,990. Paying ₹10,990 for a plastic pipe that feeds nothing makes no sense.

Bumpers and a winch go last. Bimbra's own Roxx guide points to winch-ready bumpers and a ComeUp winch, which is the right sequence: mount first, winch after.

What will get you a challan

Do not confuse a steel bumper with a bull bar. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways declared bull bars illegal under Section 52 of the Motor Vehicles Act in December 2017, on the grounds that they concentrate crash energy at two mounting points and interfere with airbag timing and pedestrian protection. The Delhi High Court stayed that ban in March 2018 after a bull bar maker petitioned it and asked the Centre to explain the basis, so enforcement has been patchy. Assume a traffic officer can still book you.

The wider rule matters more than any one part. Autocar India's guide to modifying a vehicle notes the 2019 Supreme Court position that a vehicle cannot be altered so as to significantly change the maker's original specification, and that changes have to be reported to the RTO and endorsed on your insurance. A lift kit, a larger tyre and a replacement bumper all change the vehicle from what is on the RC. Ask your RTO before you spend, and tell your insurer after, or the first claim is where you find out.

Sources

• Bimbra 4x4: Mahindra Thar Proman 2 Lift Kit
• Bimbra 4x4: Mahindra Thar Roxx Proman Leveling Kit
• Bimbra 4x4: Lift Kit Installation
• Bimbra 4x4: Mahindra Thar Profender Suspension
• Bimbra 4x4: Mahindra Thar Diesel Functional Snorkel
• Bimbra 4x4: Mahindra Thar Dummy Snorkel
• Bimbra 4x4: Bimbra Custom Rock Sliders
• Bimbra 4x4: Mahindra Thar Bumper Model R
• Bimbra 4x4: Mahindra Thar Rear Bumper Model RM
• Bimbra 4x4: Suzuki Jimny Functional Snorkel
• Bimbra 4x4: 10 Best Thar Roxx Modifications for Off-Road Adventures
• Automods: Bimbra 4x4 genuine accessories price list
• Autocar India: Government bans bullbars on vehicles in India
• Autocar India: Delhi High Court stays ban on bullbars
• The Tribune: Take crash guards off cars or face penalty, govt to vehicle owners
• Autocar India: What you should know before you modify your motorcycle