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-   -   Which car is the "cockroach" of Indian roads? (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/indian-car-scene/219371-car-cockroach-indian-roads-2.html)

Actually, not so much. Ambassadors are super rare in any city, except Kolkata. The Padmini is a dying breed too. We had thought of including them, but the number / sightings just didn't support it.

So if I were hypothetically looking to buy a used 2010 Fortuner/Innova with 1.5 lakh Kilometres - could such a car serve as a reliable family car for outstation trips? Let's assume the car has been serviced by Toyota all along at scheduled intervals. Is it worth paying the ~10 to 14 lakhs INR that they typically quote for such examples?

1. OMNI

Be it metro cities or the interiors of North East, you will find Omni doing anything and everything that machines on wheels were meant to do. Add to the super long production period, it would be decades before it becomes a rare sight.

2. Qualis & Innova

Two models, same philosophy. Only thing I would like to mention is, look at our roads. See the number of Qualis on the road VS its ertswhile rivals of the time. Case closed.

The Innova is this close to becoming kinda 'national vehicle'. Private use, company use, taxi use, shuttling use, tourist use, police use, official state car use (in my defence, maybe just in Kerala), beater car for the rich.
Given the long production for a post millennium indian car, it would be pretty common for years. Same could be said for the Scorpio, but the fact is that an early model mid 2000s Scorpio is a rarer sight than an Innova of the same vintage.

3. Bolero

Unlike the jeeps and cruiser/trax models which are a rare sight in urban areas, the Bolero has a pan India presence. Maybe cause it's the darling of government fleets. Though the TUV300, deservedly so, is replacing it slowly.

4. WagonR

Unlike Alto, whose majority sales are for first time buyers and are kept parked at home most of the time, WagonR buyers really buy it for utility.
First time buyer, repeat buyer, used car buyer, 2nd/3rd car in the household buyer.

The car will be used to its max. And it does take the abuse in a dignified manner.


There are many other vehicles, but I have tried to make sure the list is of pan India relevance. Both urban and rural, as well as all corners of the nation. Otherwise the Amby, 800, jeeps, cruiser/trax, Sumo all would have been mentioned.

The Nano and Etios would have found mention if the sales figure were higher, though the latter is sort of a cockroach.

Time will tell.

EDIT : Forgot. The Traveller. Bajaj tempo, Tempo, Force et al.
How could I leave that out.

The cockroach of the Indian roads is the humble Tata Indica/Indicab and its newer variants. They are everywhere - always in busted condition but running nonetheless and trying to inch into your lane by hook or by crook.

Not to mention every Bangalore jam photo will have atleast a dozen of them lol:.

I'd include the Safari and Scorpio. Both have been on roads for a long time, cannot be compared to modern cars, and still have managedto survive.

Not a car, but this list would be incomplete without the Tempo Traveller/Force Traveller. It has been here for a long time, and still it shows no sign of dying.

Nice topic and nice list from everybody.

The below car may frown many, but is quite a resilient cockroach that will continue to hog our streets for many years to come.


Courtesy - Bhpian Greenhorn's gallery

No wonder there are long term ownership threads such as this and this that have gone past 25 pages.

Is it ?
In Delhi NCR they have almost vanished now, being taken over by the WagonRs and DZires/Xcents.

Small cabs in Chennai and Bangalore are mostly gnarly old Indicas. It is only recently that Celerios and Altos are appearing as taxis in Chennai (in low numbers), perhaps in CNG avatar. We haven't seen a WagonR cab here ever.

Dzires and Xcents have long since taken over the sedan cab mantle from Indigo in Chennai.

Well, for the cockroach analogy, seems like NGT is doing pest control services in NCR.

Off topic but could not help it posting.

I believe its the Mahindra Bolero.
No other car is coming even near by the way this car is going on.

Please refer team-bhp's sales figure. This car just doesn't die down.

Probably Mahindra is also building a BS6 version of the same.

I sold my 2006 Innova at 200,000 kms and all the prospective buyers who test drove it were amazed with the engine. It sold for 3.8 lakhs but it did have it's fair share of quirks (rusting, music system not working, etc.). Can we come up with another name instead of cockroach :D

Launched in 1986 and going strong. Probably the longest running model in India after Maruti stopped selling Omni. Spend couple of hours on road you can easily find a 407 from late 80's! You can't have it in white board though. Owner's claim some of them have reborn from ashes. I even sport the Matador truck not as often as 407 though.

I would go with (to name a few)

1. Premier Padmini 118 NE
2. HM Ambassador
3. Contessa Classic
4. MM540/550
5. Bolero
6. Thar
7. Toofan
8. Trax
9. Gurkha
10. Sierra
11. Estate

In my view, the vehicle that claims the top spot in this list is the Qualis! Reason, no nonsense, low maintenance nature (unlike some of the rust magnets)

The Qualis was discontinued in 2005. Take a moment to recognize the time frame.

The Qualis still sells for 3.0 to 3.5 Lakhs in excellent condition.

You will see a lot of them in semi-urban areas. In my view the Qualis was much better built than the early Innovas.

The second spot I think for me is the Tempo Trax!

Cockroaches ? the first name came in my mind is ubiquitous Maruti Omni; the little box on wheels. Neither a car nor a van, can fly but is not a bird!

Existing for more than three decades, small heart, superb mobility and survives anywhere; be at the dark narrow alley of city or at the mountain peaks of Himalaya!

Favorite car of villains of Hindi Cinema in their mission of kidnapping heroines (get some analogy?).

And at the opposite end, also serves as pool car to ferry little angels to theirs schools!

Eats less and drinks less, does not require much care, but totally unsafe to have one on the road !