[rosh_aveo1.4]

Yup...was just going to type this and then I noted it's mentioned. One of the first MPFI automatic available that time and had a massive brand value since the options were quite less! God I loved the car, it felt relatively huge and luxurious compared to anything in the road until the Opel and Ford came along. And I loved the design with those massive rear lights. We had a black one and funny how they put a sticker 'AUTOMATIC' in the rear. And the power antenna was a first for us!
We also had a Maruti 1000 as the beater car and though it was comparatively low on power, it was one heck of a zero maintenance vehicle that was comfy enough (we just got a super expensive Pioneer stereo with a 6 CD changer and slowly progressed to 4 oval shaped speakers at the back with some unknown Chinese brand amplifier! )
Crazy days indeed and I do miss the simplicity of that car.

Originally Posted by AbhiJ

My dad had a cielo Automatic in 1996 ... Yes the kmpl was about 7.0 IIRC

Cielo was 80 BHP engine. Nexia was 90 something bhp.

Btw... quick take on the Cielo.
Attachment 1449987


1996 Cielo AT

What you'll like:

• Good Engine with decent grunt.
• Good looks & design. Very stylish
• Built like a Tank. Good safety features.
• Power Windows, Power Brakes, Power Steering, Automatic Gearbox
• Huge 530 Ltr Boot. Fits 4 Dead Bodies (We Checked)
• Fantastic Ride

What you won't:

• Not fuel efficient.
• The Parent Company is being run by idiots
• Handles like a boat (By 2015 standards)

[puneeth2]

Superb thread! Takes me right back to my childhood days.

Here are a few vehicles which if feel are worth a mention. It would be great if someone could tell a more about these.

* The barebones Hindustan Motors Trekker


* Tempo Trax, which had sliding windows. No winding mechanism back then.


* India's answer to VW Kombi, Tempo Matador


* SAN Storm, so rare that I have seen this only in pictures.


*Opel Astra


These are a few I could think of. Maybe I need a while before I can get a bigger list.

[navin_v8]

Cool thread brings back the nostalgia. I was born in the 80's and 90's was the time by which I became a motorhead. Well I used to drool at some cars indefinitely some of them were the Mercedes Benz W140, Toyota Sera, Mitsubishi Pajero, Premier 118 NE, Tata Sierra, Fiat Siena, Daewoo Cielo, Opel Astra, Mitsubishi Lancer, etc. I remember I was in school when GM launched Opel Astra in India. I was immediately in love as soon as I saw it in flesh in electric blue color. I used to drool at one such Astra while returning from school everyday. That Astra used to belong to a businessman in my area and I was very jealous of him.

I was able to fulfil my dream when I got my first job and was able to buy my long cherished dream a German Red colour Opel Astra Petrol. I also drive another one from the list above albeit it is from mid 2000 a Mitsubishi Lancer petrol. Looks like I am still stuck in the 90's . Jokes apart I still feel them cars built during the 90's had a solid feel and toughness while having understated yet elegant design. I have added this elsewhere about the Astra and Lancer but would love to add about the Astra.

Opel Astra 1.6 Petrol:
+ Solid tank like build quality with galvanised body
+ Bank vault like heavy gauge doors, hood and boot lid
+ Tractable engine with oodles of bottom end torque and mid range power
+ Highway stormer
+ 3S Supple, Sublime and Superb ride quality over broken and smooth roads alike
+ Double wishbone suspension upfront and compound link at the rear with gas filled dampers made the ride quality like an air suspension Bus.
+ Long list of features which was unheard of during those days like one touch power windows all four with anti pinch, electrically adjustable RVM's, motorized power antenna, and many more.
+ Gearbox was excellent with long throws as per my liking
+ Beautiful hydraulic steering which was a drivers delight, it weighed up very well as the speeds build up
+ Heavily over engineered

- Expensive and difficult to procure spare parts
- GM After Sales Service was a hit or miss
- Braking could've been better given the weight of about 1500+ kgs
- Last point in positive about heavily over engineered was a mechanic's nightmare hence listed as negative

Have not mentioned about the thirsty motor as I don't care much about mileage as much as about the drive quality. Oh dear I miss her so much, if ever it is launched again I will be the first one to buy it.

[ACM]

Check it out in my Garage.

Owned the Cielo GLX AT - For 11 years 72k kms We finally sold it in 2007.

80 Bhp

Fuel Efficiency 7 kmpl - what else could one expect with a 3 speed AT. The power surge in Kick-down mode was real fun.

Brake Pads needed to be changed every 10,000 kms.
The high tension cables too needed to be changed every 20000 kms. Every time I went in for service 1 or 2 of them would have failed and changing them restored refinement.

Had a 19 step Wiper Speed adjuster. Front and Rear Fog Lights, Rear Demister, Driver Side Airbag. Don't remember the passenger side.

One sat quite low in this vehicle and the driver ride adjuster had a tendency to break- I had to get this repaired 3 times by a seat mechanic over the years.

It had a huge boot and I loved it.

Service after Daewoo shut down was a problem.

Alternator, AC and steering wheel were delicate components. (Yes I even had the collapsible steering wheel break off during handling by an alignment guy after 10 years of use.)

Had once driven it with water level over the hood and it survived and did not stall.

It survived high water levels at another time during flooding of 2005 and 2007.

Interiors were a class / segment higher than the similarly priced Honda City. Lancer than came in a bit later with better quality overall.

The Cielo and Opel Astra were originally born from the same pervious generation car in a collaboration between the two companies. So the Interior space - A, B, C pillars were equal.

It was a second vehicle for us during most of the time we had it. Safari became the primary vehicle.

Superb Shape, a Big vehicle in it's day, but by todays sizes it feels like a small, short, vehicle.

[sidzzone]

Originally Posted by ajmat

Peugeot 309

What you will like

Strong Mechanicals
Brilliant Handling and steering
Excellent ride over bad roads
Decent room

What you wont like

Frumpy dated looks
Suspect plastics
Poor dealer network
Tappity engine (petrols)
Short seat squabs

I remember the 309 having the smoothest diesel engine. Always figured Diesels to be cluttery and noisy - this changed my perspective.

[AJ-got-BHP]

Talking of Cars and that too of Cars of the 90's ..... we sorely miss the The King of the Roads which was launched in the 90's and was a revolutionary Passenger Car in the Indian Market being the First Diesel Passenger Car on Indian Roads. The first Car Manufacturer of India launched the HM Ambassador NOVA with a 1500cc Diesel Engine.





What you would like :

• A diesel variant - that means less of a pocket pincher
• Robust built quality
• Capability to take on any terrain being a Rear Wheel Drive
• The welcoming Floor Gear Lever replacing the Steering Column mounted one
• Velvety seat upholstery which gives that added comfort
• Seamlessly Comfortable Rear Passenger Seats
• Space Space Space written all over it

What you would dislike :

• A growling and noisy 37 BHP Diesel Engine
• Cold starting problems inspite of the designated Heater Switch provided by HM
• No option of company fitted Air Conditioning (AC)
• No Bucket Seat for the Driver and Co-Paasenger
• Lags in the Power to Weight Ratio

Though HM has closed down it's operations now, the "Raja Gaadi" (as it is known in this part of the country) still makes it's presence felt in the City of Joy, Kolkata as the common Taxi and is a stand out amongst all the Cars on the Road just because of it's Golden Yellow Colour.





Also, the HM Ambassador 1800 ISZ - a 55 BHP Petrol was launched in the 90's. This had the same Engine as the HM Contessa but was detuned for the Ambassador. It was in 1992 that this Engine was re-tuned to produce 75 BHP.

I would refrain from getting into 'what you would like' & 'what you would dislike' with the 1800 ISZ as the only thing that I would cherish was the ISUZU Engine in the Car .... the rest being constant

[Arjun Reddy]

Amazing thread, Clap.

Standard 2000

How may of you remember this. Made by chennai based standard motors.



What you will like.
Affordable luxury car.
It had a good AC,
Good fit and finish,
Spacious interiors,
Power windows,
Hydraulic power steering.

What you won't like

Poor 2000 cc engine.
Poor 4 speed gearbox.
Bad mileage.

The other cars I really liked were the Ford Mondeo, Opel Vectra and the HM Contessa.

[TeddyBear]

How can we forget our own cute Dolphin Cars?
Dolphin cars were made by Bangalore based Sipani motors licensed from Reliant Motors UK.


It was the fastest car in its stable at that time.
In the year 1986, I watched the annual car race at Cholavaram Race cource in Chennai ( Before building modern race course at Irungattukotai, near Sri Perumbudur Chennai, An old Air-force fields is used for Car race)

Apart from individual car races, there was a mixed segment, in which top 3 in the segments were awarded prize.

The mixed segment had Dolphin, Martui 800, Premier Padmini and Ambassador.

Within first Lap of the race all the Dolphins were leading the race as group, followed by Maruti, Premier Padmini and Ambi groups.

There was a Sipani D model launched with 4 doors to compete with Maruti 1000 :-)
+ Cute and Sporty Look
+ 2 Door
+ Fibre glass Body, It was tinkered at home in an hour by hand with fiber and pastes when it breaks (Yes, No dent only cracks, but it was told at that time that 3 times stronger than maruti's metal)

- Smaller company, not a Quality product with lot of niggling issues
- with fewer dealerships and poor service networks
- No country wide sale was permitted at that time due to 2 door model.

[spanner777]

Some of the cars that I used to "look for" while on the road back in the 90s which did not see a mention in this thread so far.

Ford Escort


peugeot 309


Fiat Sienna


Tata estate


Opel Vectra



We had a Diesel Fiat UNO in our family, which was refined by the standards then only let down by the lack of proper service from Fiat.
The one point that comes to my mind when I think about the UNO was the healthy low end torque the diesel engine had. I experienced the "pushed to the seat" effect for the first time in that car. The boot was huge for a hatch of its size. I loved the front headrest design. When flap type handles were the in thing UNO had outer door handles similar to ambassador.
People hated its looks, but since I like boxy looks, I did not find the looks bad.

[jeeva]

I for one, would love to read through the memories and see pictures of cars perhaps owned/driven by self/family rather than post random pictures from the internet.

[i74js]

Originally Posted by spanner777

Some of the cars that I used to "look for" while on the road back in the 90s which did not see a mention in this thread so far.

Ford Escort
Attachment 1450419

peugeot 309
Attachment 1450421

Fiat Sienna
Attachment 1450425

Tata estate
Attachment 1450422

Opel Vectra
Attachment 1450423


We had a Diesel Fiat UNO in our family, which was refined by the standards then only let down by the lack of proper service from Fiat.
The one point that comes to my mind when I think about the UNO was the healthy low end torque the diesel engine had. I experienced the "pushed to the seat" effect for the first time in that car. The boot was huge for a hatch of its size. I loved the front headrest design. When flap type handles were the in thing UNO had outer door handles similar to ambassador.
People hated its looks, but since I like boxy looks, I did not find the looks bad.

Buddy the thread started with Ford Escort and then I added pic of my car and the advertisement !

[AJ-got-BHP]

The end of the 90's brought the Josh Machine from Ford .... the Ford IKON !! A car for the enthusiasts

Available with 3 Engine Options at the time of it's launch :

• 1.3L Petrol
• 1.6L Petrol
• 1.8L Diesel

However, I would consider the Real Josh Machine to be the one with the 1.6L Petrol Engine. Apparently BHPian 1100D & BHPian navsjab are still the proud owners of this "Beauty from outside & the Beast under the Hood" Josh Machines. Posting some Pictures from our Meets :







What you would like :

• The handling capability thanks to the HPS
• Do we need to talk of Speed and the Top Speed ... The Car does the talking
• Super responsive engine
• Enormous Boot Space
• Good legroom for all passengers
• The Muscular American Designing
• The Additional AC Vent (4+1) - though located on the Dashboard but designated for Rear Passengers

What you would not like :

• The Tiny ORVM's might not be to everyone's liking
• Service and Maintenance Cost at Ford Authorized Service Centres
• Availability of Parts (was a problem at a point of time)
• Low Seating and thus ingress and egress could be a problem for tall occupants

I got my hands on the IKON in 2009 !! Bought the last lot of the Ikon having the 1.4L TDCi (Fiesta Diesel Engine) and in 2010 bought a sparingly used Ford Ikon 1.6 Nxt for my Father In Law from a Fellow BHPian DeepakKumarGupta. Took both the cars together to the Hills sometime in 2011 and the Josh Machines just loved their Holiday together. Sharing some Pictures of that Trip and my IKONS :









I regret doing away with my Ikon in 2014 ..... I wish I could have retained it

[Vik0728]

Lovely thought sidzzone on coming up with such a thread

This is not a report or review from my end, but a request to experts/owners to give a first hand experience views.

I was always a biker until I bought my first car, Hyundai Santro Xing (2007). But even through those years of bike infatuation, there were 2 cars in the Indian market that made me go weak in my knees:

1. Chevrolet SRV




2. Ford Mondeo




I have never had the fortune or luck of sitting (let alone driving) either of these cars and would love to get some views on these.



P.S - While scouting for these 2 classics, I came across this article on Cartorq, about "Flop Cars in Indian Market", which seems an interesting analogy:

Link

[AJ-got-BHP]

Come 1998 and TATA Motors redefined the meaning of a Hatch Back w.r.t. the space offered in it's TATA INDICA !! Big Car Space in a Small Car Must say a Game Changer in that era !!



What you would like :

• A Fuel Efficient Diesel Engine
• Seats 5 adults comfortably
• Good stability on the highway
• Excellent suspension which offers a smooth ride

What you would not like :

• The illumination from the headlights do not do justice to the car
• A very rubbery Gear Box
• Niggling and peculiar problems in the car which is uncalled for
• No provision of Speakers at the rear

I myself bought the updated INDICA V2 DLG in 2004. Clocked approximately 1,25,000 Kms on it in a span of 5 years. Sharing a few pictures taken in 2009 before I was about to sell the car off :





Though TATA is still manufacturing the Indica, sadly it's numbers do not keep the scoreboard ticking anymore. However, this was Bread and Butter for TATA Motors on the platform of which they launched the Indigo and Indigo Marina in the latter years.

[1.2TSI7DSG]

Don't know if any one remembers the Esteems Predecessor :

Maruti 1000

+ Refined & Sophisticated (compared to Padmini, Amby, 118NE)
+ Superb Comfort
+ Floor Gearshift lever with syncromesh gearbox
+ Easy to drive
+ Cheap maintenance
+ Independent Suspension (one of the first in the country- you could set the rear toe)

- Expensive
- Under-powered 1.0l engine
- Small
- Build Quality
- low seating (though sporty came in line with the exhaust pipes of the smoky HCVs of the era)
- No power steering
- Metallic colors used to cost a premium

From Wiki

"The Maruti 1000, made by Maruti Udyog was a sedan-type car produced in India between October 1990 and 2000. The car is a rebadged Suzuki Cultus/Swift and was introduced in October, 1990 (although Maruti had been showing the car since 1989). With a large waiting list for all Maruti cars, a computerised lottery was used to decide who got a chance to buy a Maruti 1000.This was remarkable as the car was considered a luxury vehicle at the time, hard to conceive of from today's (or a foreign) viewpoint – but in 1990, when it was released, its purchase price was high enough that it was out of reach for more than 99.5% of India's population.It sold at Rs. 381,000. A period commentator even accused the 1000 of being a project "by the elite for the elite."

The car came with a 970 cc engine whose output was just 46 bhp and proved underpowered for a car that weighed 825 kg (1,819 lb).This outdated engine was also installed by Suzuki in the Cultus/Swift range for a few other developing markets."

Ref Link
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suzuki_Cultus#Maruti_1000