When a person buys a new car...he looks at each and every inch of the body to make sure he is buying a faultless car..no scratches...no dents...it should be perfect..fresh from the factory.... Doesn't matter if he himself bangs the car into a pillar a month later. But if he is paying for a virgin...he will expect a virgin!! (mods can delete this line if found not suitable)
So when I am asked to buy the same car I did a test drive on...what will I do?? I will insist that I should get a fresh piece (fresh from the bakery
). But I am adamantly told that this is not possible. I understand their position..one of the models will get stuck in the showroom forever. Although..some companies have separate cars for tests. But not the one I chose. The car I was to be delivered had a minor dent on the rear bumper (could ve been promptly rectified by the showroom..but their bad luck that I saw it).
Test vehicles are usually abused by the prospective customers and salesmen alike..that is a known fact. When I had taken the car for the test drive..I had noticed that the odo was not working (the wire had been taken out). So I don't know whats the actual reading on the odometer..how much it has been used....and I don't know how many people have tried being Schumacher on it. So when the company refuses to budge...what does a customer do??? He cancels the booking and look somewhere else. Thats exactly what I did. The affair with the Palio is over.
I have now booked the Logan 1.4 GLS. Right from the start there were only two choices for me...The Logan 1.4 and The Palio 1.6. Now that the Palio has been disqualified...The Logan has won the match.
I know its the very same car I rubbished in this very thread...the same car with an anaemic heart and super cheap interiors.
On a second glance, I will have to look on its positive sides now.
The pickup is not that bad...its only when you come on the expressway you feel the need of more power. I cannot compare it with the heart of the Palio 1.6 (THAT will be a SIN
) So in order to make it better...will have to get some modding done. Will start researching soon on what all can be done. A universal air filter should be the first...
The biggest advantage will be space...acres of it!! Then the ride...among the best this side of 6 Lakhs....Plus a boot comes as a bonus!
I will have to make do with the interiors. But have thought of doing something with them as well. Will take help from fellow team bhp members on what can be done. have seen some really cheap cars with great interiors...so there is some hope..
Things like power windows will have to be aftermarket ones (But that is better because OE PW switches are on the center console....aftermarket ones can be fitted on the doors). Gearlock is a must (read that article on 'a car being stolen every two minutes in delhi') Central locking + keyless entry + alloy wheels that came as standard on the stile 1.6 will now have to bought separately. But I will have do this much in order to keep my 'swabhimaan'!!!
The Logan 1.4GLS comes at Rs.40K more than what I was paying for the Palio Stile 1.6. So on a five year loan it won't affect the EMIs that hard. I have booked one in black (was the better colour of the two available....the other was Sahara beige)
Even my family is happy now... when they earlier cribbed on the news of the palio...now they are delighted (what mere hearsay can do to normal people).
To the fellow team members who congratulated on making a wise decision earlier.. I would say that even i am disappointed! (heck!! that salesman was really a nice guy!! never saw a guy declining with such politeness!! i will have to take lessons from him.) Every time a Stile 1.6 flashes its headlights..asking or rather forcing himself for a side...i know what to do....let it pass..and swallow my pride....will have to live with it for the next five years. But I am now okay with it. One day that boy racer in me will die (he has already started showing signs of illness)....and the Logan will start making sense.
One more thing....my earlier car was an Alto...a basic car with no frills...an anaemic engine..and was the best I could get at that price. I have just decided to buy a bigger alto for myself.
Wish me luck for the new innings I am going to start with the Logan (heck i don't even know how it is pronounced!! logun or logaaaan??)