Team-BHP > The Indian Car Scene


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Old 9th August 2007, 11:13   #91
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@asitkde: Basically the discussion around here is about the riding comforts of a car in India with reference to indian road conditions.

We don't even have a fraction of the kind of roads that are there in the US & Europe; of course the conditions are improving now of late. The riding comfort depends a lot on the road as well. If you have a good road to drive on then the body stress due to potholes, bumps etc. gets minimised.

Give me an autstrada or autobahn any day and even Amby would be very comfy to ride on..

Quote:
Originally Posted by asitkde View Post
I have done many many very long drives with me being the only driver (once upto nearly 20 hours in a day, really crazy, right!). These are the ones I have liked the best:

In US:
Lincoln Town car (Longest drive in it: St Louis, MO - Columbus, OH - Pittsburgh, PA - Buffalo, NY - New York, NY - Washington, DC area - Daytona, FL - Orlando, FL - Birmingham, AL - St.Louis, MO). Nothing comes near the Town Car in terms of comfort for long drives. When I compare the ride in the Lincoln Town Car with, for example, a Toyota Camry or an Isuzu 4x4 or Toyota Celica across the country from OH to CA, you realize how much more stable the Lincoln is when you pass an eighteen wheeler at high speed and how much less tiring it is in a Lincoln.

In Europe: Opel Ascona & Ford Escort Wagon. Both were equally comfortable, but like a drive in a 800 when compared to the comfort of the Town Car. But never got tired after covering drives from Aachen, Germany (bordering Holland and Belgium) to Budapest, Hungary through Austria or to Florence, Italy through Switzerland in a day.

In India: Only long drive was from Kolkata to Puri, Orissa (600 kms) and back in my WagonR in the middle of 40+ degrees Celcius. The A/C was very good. But I had trouble with lack of good thigh support after driving for more than eight hours. May be the seats are okay, it's only me getting old. Passengers (my wife and son) said they were quite comfortable.
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Old 9th August 2007, 11:37   #92
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How about the LOGAN?
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Old 9th August 2007, 11:42   #93
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According to me Innova is 1 of the most comfortable cars for a long distance journey, great suspensions, 1 feels very roomy from inside, which is of the main factor for being comfortable.
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Old 9th August 2007, 12:04   #94
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Poll would not make sense because we would be talking about various cars in various categories and price brackets. Also since everyone seem to be having a different opinion about the very same car it would make no sense but only getting more posts asking the addition of a particular car they want.
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Old 9th August 2007, 12:28   #95
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Quote:
Originally Posted by gd1418 View Post
@asitkde: Basically the discussion around here is about the riding comforts of a car in India with reference to indian road conditions.

We don't even have a fraction of the kind of roads that are there in the US & Europe; of course the conditions are improving now of late. The riding comfort depends a lot on the road as well. If you have a good road to drive on then the body stress due to potholes, bumps etc. gets minimised.

Give me an autstrada or autobahn any day and even Amby would be very comfy to ride on..
Well, initially I also thought that the thread is only about the most comfortable cars in long drives on INDIAN roads. Since I am really fascinated by long drives and I have not personally done many long drives in Indian conditions, I kept silent and kept on reading the thread with great interest. But then I found people posting about their long drive experience in the US and elsewhere, and then only I decided to share my experience with others. Obviously it has not pleased you. I am sorry!
What I have written is no reflection on cars available in India. I have driven even an auto in Kolkata (obviously unauthorised) and once in my childhood even hand-pulled a rickshaw. I want to know from mods if sharing my experience with my explanation above was wrong. I don't have to write any more in any of the threads in team-bhp if this kind of pointless responses keep popping up.
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Old 9th August 2007, 12:46   #96
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my first choice is ford endeavour, because of its stability even when doing 120+ and then comes safari dicor, though i have not taken it above 100 still cause of its run-in period.
both gave me a lot of comfort, when i have not got in anything else...
mclaren, y don't u start a pool for this..
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Old 9th August 2007, 12:56   #97
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Quote:
Originally Posted by asitkde View Post
I want to know from mods if sharing my experience with my explanation above was wrong. I don't have to write any more in any of the threads in team-bhp if this kind of pointless responses keep popping up.
Buddy, there's no need to take offence here.
Since the thread initiator wanted the topic to be limited to Indian cars, that explains the reason why people wanted you to be on topic.

As far as your experiences are concerned, its nice to have aboard people who have been there, done that. Since you have driven an auto, why not tell us about that in the respective section for the same?

No one means to chide you, just helping you get started out here.
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Old 9th August 2007, 13:04   #98
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over teh years I have owned various cars ranging from teh Maruti 800 to zen 9card), matiz, accent, ikon, esteem, indica and now the baleno.

long drives are a passion with me and i have done long 9read 250+ kms) drives in all my cars on multiple occassions. Of these, i can safely say that hte baleno has to be the best so far. i recently did a solo non stop run from bangy to hyd (600 kms door to door) and teh driving comfort was awesome. The ergonomics of the baleno, from teh steering position, the dead pedal, center arm rest and a torquey engine 9read fewer downshifts) all contribute to a very relaxed drive. Havent experienced that in any other car of mine.

I was a passenger in a scorpio for a very long drive (1000kms round trip in two days) and that has to rate as the most uncomfortable car to travel in in India (not to mention downright unsafe in hte hills)
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Old 9th August 2007, 13:59   #99
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bhpindian View Post
1)Daewoo Matiz
2)Hyundai Verna
3)Mahindra Scorpio
4)Hyundai Santro
5)Maruti 800
In that order.
Have done approximately 500km in each from my hometown to Mumbai.
Sometimes driving or in the passenger seat.
You have neatly compiled the worst five for a long distance drive.

Maruti 800
Santro
Scorpio
Verna
Matiz
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Old 9th August 2007, 15:48   #100
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lurker View Post
You have neatly compiled the worst five for a long distance drive.

Maruti 800
Santro
Scorpio
Verna
Matiz
Also add Omni to the list !
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Old 9th August 2007, 16:36   #101
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Most uncomfortable cars I seem to have driven long distances in are:

1. Fiat Palio.
2. Honda Civic.
3. Estilo.
4. Scorpio.
5. Versa.

Needless to say these are my views. Lets not have a debate on this too.
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Old 9th August 2007, 21:02   #102
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Long distance needs tough suspension setup in Indian roads.

Why not a Innova?
Driving is not a fun factor in this car. Why? Its Size.

Why not an Indigo?
Space,descent ride for its price. But get tired because of diesel vibration getting in.

Why not an Amby?
Top speeds. Chauffer driven amby is a heaven. Only the petrol/ retrofitted imported ISUZU on a pre 90 chassis.

Why an Ikon?
suspension. seats not comfortable though, i felt.

why a fiat uno?
Low GC is an issue in speed breakers. Mileage makes your pain go away..Yet the ride is phenomenal for its size..But a dead car now..

Personally, i dont like petrols on a long drive, because the monotonous atmosphere makes me go to sleep. Diesel, with its low-revving nature, is ideal one for highway riding.
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Old 9th August 2007, 21:28   #103
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Hyundai Verna Did Mysore to Chennai in 7 hours

Hi,

I would vote for Hyundai Verna CRDI SX. Did a 490 kms drive from Mysore to Chennai non-stop (except for Toll booths and Traffic near NICE Road bangalore) in under 7 hours. Mind you the roads are as good as it can get in India with everything being 4 lane stretch except for some incomplete NICE Road sections in Bangalore. While coming back did in the same time but with a break of 20 mins in between in Cafe Cofee Day, Maddur. So overall a comfortable Distance muncher and easy on the pocket (gave me nearly 16 kmpl of Diesel). Only grouse is that the under-thigh support and suspension could have been better.

Cheers!
~DWind
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Old 10th August 2007, 00:02   #104
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My Vote goes to Innova.
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Old 10th August 2007, 00:28   #105
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Thats a first - 2nd cheapest Honda in the list? How about the cheapest Honda in India?
Quote:
Originally Posted by mclaren1885 View Post
Most uncomfortable cars I seem to have driven long distances in are:

1. Fiat Palio.
2. Honda Civic.
3. Estilo.
4. Scorpio.
5. Versa.

Needless to say these are my views. Lets not have a debate on this too.
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