[Annibaddh]

Originally Posted by andafunda

Getting my next car (Toby Ziegler) in 15 days. Let's hope this one excites me even more!

(As you may have figured, I'm a West Wing fan.)

Mate you'd have to get a full on Cadi to name it Jed Bartlet!

My Winnie Cooper (Vento 1.6Tdi) was also named after a beloved tv character. Loved the names.

[Annibaddh]

Here's mine. Winnie Cooper, the first car I bought for myself. I bought an i10 before this but that was primarily for my parents.

Winnie and I have a difficult relationship. Much like all my relationships (must be me!). I love her to the world's end. We've done 105K kms together. A lot of them on solo long trips. Tons of them with dear friends. And my parents. And of course most of them with the missus. Brought my son home in this. Got married and drove off with Winnie and the wife in tow.

This photograph was taken on one such epic trip. A friend and I decided hug the coastline of Maharashtra all the way to Goa. Incredible sights. Terrible roads. Amazing experiences. This is where we camped for the night. Winnie parked to shield us from the road. Camp set up with the brilliant Arabian sea beyond a cliff!

[vinayak_90]

Definetly my 2010 vw beetle. Driving it for a good part of the decade. The nippiness and fun factor always amazes me.
I have had a number of nice German whips but this car is truly something! done a lot of expressway runs, it never feels out of breath!
Just got it wrapped from black to matte white as I am selling my daily driver and have been using this since a fortnight.

[Rathore_13]

My favorite rides all in one photo. loved to own them.

[sandeepmohan]

If FCA India build a Linea T Jet to the exact same specifications as the 2011 model, I'd go out and buy one even today. I love this car so much. It is beautiful. Its a car my wife loved too, even though she never drove it. There are flaws, no doubt but I have a feeling there isn't a better car Fiat ever made. It was so well built and engineered. To give you an example, the quality of some interior panels surpass what you find in a Abarth 595 Competizione! FCA India gave us a good car, especially the T Jet variant and I hope to see the day they build cars like the Linea again.

[gulerianeeraj]

My answer would be "The One I am driving Right now" .Since the present one has been better than the previous ones. Though I love each bit of what I've driven over the years the comfort, tech and driving aesthetics of current gen car will always be better than the previous one. I will cover all of them in chronological order.

1. Maruti 800 : Bought in 1999.Don't have no Photos of her since the vehicle was sold in 2010. Was just getting into the cars and did not had particular inclination towards clicking photographs of the vehicle. One Word to describe the vehicle "SOLID".

2. Bajaj Pulsar 180 : Bought in 2008 in bangalore as a second hand bike. I learned driving with her and had some crazy trips across Karnataka. She was eventually sold in 2011.

Could not find any other photo of hers. Bachelor days are crazy and when you have a bike like this they get crazier.


3.Fiat Grande Punto 90 HP : My first tryst with the Cars. She was something of a looker and still is. Pure fun to drive and miles ahead in terms of tech at that time. The vehicle was bought in 2010 after the 800 was sold and what a buy it was. Learned driving with her and had almost half of the India covered with her. She was driven almost 90K till she met an accident in 2020 and was declared totalled. She is the one which has been so close to my heart. She had seen all kind of terrains from Deserts to Hills to Plains to Coastals to Highways to Poor roads to No Roads to Off roads You Name it.

Beauty and the History


She'd seen the hills


She'd seen the Deserts


3. VW Polo : During 2016 need was felt to buy another four wheeler for the family since I was planning to take the Punto with me. She was bought the same year and is still serving good. Fuss free car which ticks all the boxes (Except Rear leg room). My first interaction with VAG cars. Liked her immediately. Well proportioned with respect to everything. Feel like she can last another 4-5 years and have no plans to sell her off in near future.

Both "P's" together


4 RE Thunderbird : Bought in 2015 and still serving. Good to drive and has that RE feel to it. However you'll have some or the other niggle with her most of the times no matter how well maintained you keep her. Lately her miles munching have reduced since both cars are being extensively used. Fun ride nonetheless

When she was bought


5. Skoda Rapid Diesel AT : Bought pre owned during COVID since my Punto was totalled. Did a lot of research before buying it and eventually took the plunge despite numerous reports of poor Skoda ASS and DSG failures. The vehicle has been going strong so far. Had driven from Pune to Himachal and back and she did not disappointed one bit. Though she does not have that Feel which Punto had. May be due to difference of hydraulic steering and Electronic steering still the DSG makes up for that since Punto had a Poor gearbox. Till now pretty happy with what I have so far since the vehicle ticks all the boxes and is as good looking as Punto was.

The Day she was bought


She is a Cruiser and a Mile muncher like The Punto


The Present Lot (Thunderbird is missing from action)

[Amsdoc]

It has to be my Honda Integra type R.
Most people have never even seen one, so it is very difficult to explain it. There no car that is so much fun for the price it was available for. It has been voted as the best handing front wheel drive car ever. It was incredibly fun, very practical and very unsafe. It gave you the feeling that you are flying. There is no other car I have ever been in that has been even close. I miss it every time I get in a car.

[NAVREVV]

Well, I owned a Vento Diesel AT which I bought in 2015 and sold in 2020 after clocking nearly 1.13 Lacs KM and I absolutely loved the car apart from regular maintenance nightmares. A sure-footed planted drive even at higher speeds at 140kmph plus and the DSG gearbox which was absolutely dream to drive. So responsive and lightening quick Upshifts/Downshifts which I still miss.

[ron82x3]

When I acquired my driving licence just after I was 18, an Alto 800 was our first car. I was never interested that car in the first place. My father forcefully bought that car because that was a Maruti and it was a cheaper offering.
However the car being so less powerful, helped me learn how to be in the perfect gear during any time and manage overtakes.
However 2 years later, when I was comfortable driving independently in the city and mastered parking even in crowd places, I got my first car which was my own. Rest of my family members were using the old car alto(which was chauffeur driven).
The car which I got when I turned 20 was the 2017 Grand i10 1.2 P Asta. I wad drooling over the feature list and the quality of interiors and the brilliant high revving engine with it's magical mid range performance. The car was ahead of it's time and only the Ignis could match it in most parameters, however the Ignis didn't appeal to any of us for it's looks.
With effortless high speed cruising manners and comfortable ride and handling it was very appealing to me. It's still my favourite car. The looks grew on me and still keeps on growing. Something with all Hyundais?
In 2020 I got myself an EcoSport S TDCi, and still I love my Grand i10 more. I would get more sad, when the Hyundai gets into some minor accident as compared to the EcoSport(now my dad rides the Grand, which is driven by our driver). I drive the EcoSport now.


My first city car, which is comfortable munching highway miles all day.
My tour from Kolkata to Rajasthan, Picture taken at our resort in Jodhpur(December, 2019)


My recent Highway drive from Delhi to Kolkata. Picture taken at Bihar (October, 2020)


My new Beast.


Beauty and the Beast in one frame!

The reason I love my Hyundai is because it made me fall in cars and helped me go places. Never felt limiting in terms of power or comfort. PS: I love that cooled golovebox.

[docprashant]

Well it has to be the erstwhile Fiat Punto 1.4 Emotion (Hound)...the thing was built like a tank. I regret that I had to let go off it due to city relocation.



Also, my current love is my Elantra 2.0 SX(O) VTVT. It's been 3 years and it has been serving us extremely well!!

[DreamsUnlimited]

[quote=Ferruccio;4903680]

A Perfect Substitute for a Porsche Boxster

Lovely write-up, Ferruccio. I really enjoyed reading it

[drhoneycake]

My 2015 Fluidic Verna 1.6 CRDI SX(O) and I have a beautiful relationship and I absolutely love her to bits (even though she’s not a favourite at tbhp). She can be a calm highway cruiser or turn into a beast. Absolutely niggle free, zero maintainence (she’s been a fill it, shut it and drive type literally).

My first car after I started working. Learnt to do DIYs, did my first projector retrofit, my first audio upgrade. Apart from the fact that she’s run flawlessly, close to 2.5L kms (stock clutch and stock suspension) in a shade less than 6years it’s the memories that I have with her.

Tons of road trips with friends, parents, and cousins, met my wife in this (first date), got my wife home in this, insane solo drives, interstate work drives, GQ runs, Kashmir-to-Kanyakumari drives, night outs (literally slept in the car), innumerable Goa trips, trips with my doggy (RIP) and a lot of romantic getaways with the missus.

Simple mechanicals, slick 6speed gearbox, no fancy electronics, an analog instrument cluster and most importantly a stonker of an engine.

There is no other car that gives me the feeling that my Verna does.

[Clouseau]

MY TWO BITS' WORTH FOR CARS BETTER OR VERSE

An RX100 and an LML, then moved from 2 wheels to 4
That old 800 did get, that old back really sore

Then the Zen for some peace, and that bright yellow shine
It really caught the eye as did, that young wife of mine!



With a son we needed lots, and lots of more space
After the Zen had a yen, for a more powerful race

So I went Ikon(ic) and got, a lot more Josh
20 to 80 made me, completely be-hosh



With my daughter came the Optra, and set a whole new bar
Very stable and also, TopG's Reasonably Priced Car



With growing kids we needed, all the space we could muster
So went diesel first-time, and got a trusty new Duster

Done so many hills and covered, oh so much terrain
But that Old Silver you know, she never does complain




Now Old Silver’s going gray, will have to let her go
Methinks we should get, maybe a new Seltos Auto

P.S.
Sorry but this rhyme may be, the old writer’s curse
I’m writing poetry again, am I in re-verse?

[hummer]

The car I love most is not THE first car or THE first love, no such sentiments, I love what I like most

I have owned and driven many cars in the US and India, different brands, hatchbacks, sedans, SUVs, petrol, diesel - all I could put my hands on.

Of all, the one that gives me adrenaline rush even today when I think of it is, the Original SUZUKI BALENO. It really inspired for spirited drives, boosted confidence, good quality and reliable. I didn't like it's rear flat brake lights much, but it was a hoot to drive, probably my age also then.







The second one I am loving still is the Tata Nano GenX Easy Shift (AMT), especially the Sangria Red, the paint quality is so so cool, it shines like new even today. I would say it is an engineering marvel, it has everything for city runabouts, openable boot, sports mode, decent head unit with bluetooth, chilling AC, fog lamps, so small outside yet good space inside, comfy for 4 people - even has smoked headlamp cluster for aesthetics. Size and AMT is a boon in Bangaluru traffic, which was an inspiration for me to sell my Terrano MT and buying Duster AMT.
https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/test-...uster-amt.html (Sold my Nissan Terrano MT, bought a Renault Duster AMT)

[Deo]

Without doubt the first car. It brought so many good memories. I bought it from a friend with more than 90K odo but so immaculately maintained that I sold for same price after 3 years and additional 45K kms. It was a hoot to drive and missed the fun-to-drive part so much so that I ended up buying a used Turbo Petrol MT Beetle in US for my second car.