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-   -   A Vtec Taxi (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/indian-car-scene/2711-vtec-taxi.html)

Was amazed to see a Honda city Vtec taxi on the expressway while returning to Mumbai from Pune last weekend.

The registration No. was MH 02 - WA - 4xxx and was driven really cautiously.

The Vtec being a driver's car, couldn't understand the logic behind buying it for tourist use to ferry people around, unless ofcourse the owner is die-hard Vtec fan and loves to drive the car himself...what say ??

~A

These tourist vehicle service providers such as AVIS,Hertz,etc get the cars at dirt cheap prices as they buy them in larger numbers. The Vtec you saw might have been one of the last baches left of that edition of the city and hence the tourist vehicle service must have banked on the oppurtunity of getting it cheaper since a new model is being launched soon.

R you sure it was a Vtec? Coz there a lot of Vtec wannabes' around who sport a spoiler and mag wheels on a 1.5, just to make it look like a Vtec.

There 3 such cars in Hubli itself.

Regards...
Shan2nu

Awwwww, thats got to be the best taxi in the world Bombay-Pune faster than a bullet!!

GTO

poor passengers taking in G forces at the ghats..

Yes Shan2nu,

It was indeed a golden coloured Vtec with the twin tipped exhaust and the Vtec badge on its boot.

~A

hey but as sahil said the top notch tour guys will have bigger cars in there fleet since they get it in bulck and in discount.. and yup some give out for self driving though they charge alot.. if they can have beemers and mercs whats wrong with a VTec.. umpteen examples of running here in Bangalore esp with Leela they have a real neat fleet of cars.. and i often wish i were driving those beuties..

don't understand why the situation is contrary in India when compared to the west, coz when a person is self-driving a hired car, its beneficial to the tourist company as they are saving on the driver's costs ( though the element of risk is always there) ....


Any idea if such tourist dealerships exist in any of the Indian cities and the rates they charge for self-driven cars ..anyone???

~A

Hertz offers but charges some 5k (only rent) a day in Bangalore, had enquired some time back when a client had wanted one.. dindt feel it was worth it and he took the ol company esteem instead lol

...Well talking about discounted cars i just remember ...that u guys must have seen several Toyota Camrys taxis in bombay with various hotels badges on the side doors such as Hyatt,Marriot,Leela have a whole fleet of Camrys most of them being golden for marriot and leela and blacks r mainly Hyatt...well the point being take a wild guess how much these hotels paid for the Camrys???
A normal camry in bombay would cost around 18-19 odd lakhs or so... These hotels bought their fleet of camrys for 7..yes S-E-V-E-N Lakhs per car !!! Thats like almost 60% cheaper than normal price!!!

P.S - The hoteliers also can import cars without any duty!! Thats why most of the hotel owners have fancy cars and many of their hotel cars seems to be imported as it cost them almost as much as a regular luxury indian car.

Hassle factor - if the car comes back damaged impounded in a poice station - a foreigner is more likely to have an incident due to unfamiliarity. Also you will find a lot of spoilt brats borrowing a BM to thrash for the weekend

Well ajmat, these reasons hold true anywhere in the world, not just India. The main reason i think is that, as there is so much excess labour in India, the companies find it a cheaper and safer option to send drivers with the cars. Remember, the person hiring the car also pays for the driver, so its not like the dude comes free! Also, our laws and insurance regs in India do not allow for these sort of things, and if there is a claim, the rental Co. would have a major problem recovering i would thing. I have a hard enough time getting money back from my personal vehicles!!

hey sahil, they buy it under the epcg scheme, thats how they get it soo , cheap

i saw a city vtec taxi fr sale with a dealer in lajpat nagar in delhi

Why so much of questions? People by and large don't see VTEC as the way you guys see. SIMPLE!!!