From 8 cylinders to 800cc and beyond : A Pune newbie It is time to be fair and introduce myself. Even if it is after having added my two bits to a few threads. And now two bits about my 35 years of driving
My first attraction was to GM, during my student days in the US. Unfortunately, could only afford a 10 year old transportation Chevy II (but was thrilled with the auto transmission). My first job was in Kuwait in 1976. where I made full use of cheap petrol to drive my 8 cylinder dream cars. My company being, among other things, the distributor of GM helped. So the first car was a fully loaded Pontiac ventura 2 Door vinyl top. This I bought. As i ascended the corporate ladder, a GM car was a perk and I went through an Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme and a couple of Pontiac Parisiennes. Ride quality, power, comfort, road presence of the GM cars of the mid 70s-early 80s was unmatched. Once I decided that I was returning to India, I decided to move from 8 cylider cars to a 6 cylinder Buick Skylark, which was also a beauty. The intention was to import this under transfer of residence. However, wiser counsel prevailed and I sold it before returning to Bharat.
Meanwhile I had booked a Maruti 800 Dx ( yes deluxe, it had airconditioning and better seat covers) under an NRI priority scheme. The premium on a non-deluxe was about Rs 40K, and I assumed I would make a killing on the Dx to part finance my import of the Buick. Well I decided against the import and the premium (by Feb 85) had vanished. And the 800DX became the family ride for 16 years. If the Linea is "admiration guaranteed" today, so was the 800 when I got it. And mine was among the first few Dx cars in Pune. Had to go to Mumbai for the first couple of services!. Sold it regretfully when my garage threatened not to service it any longer. The 130K on the odo included several memorable trips to Mahableshwar, Goa, Alibag and Lonavla, 2 adults and 3 kids on board. Accessories were not reverse sensors but a carrier and nylon rope for the longer trips. As a second car have been through Padmini , Omni( loved driving that, sold under pressure-unsafe; great drive Pune-Bangalore-Mysore-Ooty), another 800 and the Tata Indica Diesel, when it was first launched (great space, great ac, and I must add like a good Indian, great mileage). But 4 years into the Indica and the diesel engine was louder than ever, the oil leaks had started, and I thought it was time to move on. Had a look at my first preference: GM. The Astra was outside my budget, The Corsa did not impress and the Chevys had not yet been launched. Not to mention the dealership experience.
After TDing the Ikon, Corsa, and Accent, one fine Sunday afternoon was passing by the Fiat dealer and thought I would casually check out the "new" Siena. The vehicle was a black 1.6, with a lot of goodies. Took a test drive and I was sold. Did not let the salesman know that I was in love, and said there was no way I was buying a car that would brand me as insane. A week later, I collected my Black Sienna 1.6, with 50K in discounts/freebies. GM was forgotten as my love for the Siena grew. Superb ride, great handling, even greater power ( but that was a bonus), very acceptable FE and decent A** . Hinduism preaches do not get too attached to material objects. I have had one bad accident, and it was with the Siena. Thanks to the build, I escaped with superficial injuries. The car was totalled by the insurance companies, as Fiat would not sell just the engine mountings and insisted the entire engine block had to be replaced.
After that episode, and having answered questions like "why Indica" and "why Siena" over a million times, I decided to go mainstream. I did test drive the Aveo, Fiesta, and the Accent Viva, before succumbing to the "H" badge. I know I have the approval of a large section of my countrymen. My NHC has served me well for 3 years: reliable, "mileage", decent A**, and good "resale". I think it is time to exploit the last factor. I will save the reasoning for a different thread.
Meanwhile, may I add myself to the tribe of BHPians and Pune BHPians in particular. Great to be here |