[esteem_lover]

Originally Posted by kuttapan

My wifey is hooked to the Palio. She said the Swift looked like a frog, but somehow took a liking to it after buying, because it is now OUR car.

No, i think she likes the swift now because the frog turned into a prince. a fairy tale ending.

[sidindica]

Just 4 her

(Disclaimer: This article is aimed at highlighting the ideal all round small cars that suit women of our country based on their uses, needs and requirements, that is of a typical women car buyer. Perceptions and views may differ and exceptions are always there. These are purely my viewpoints and still it is best to take a thorough test drive before finalizing your decision based on your requirements. It may or may not contain cars that I have mentioned here.)

Women power.
Its dominant.
It’s a force to reckon with.

Their ever increasing number of achievers in various industries gives our country a reason to smile. Be it politics, sports, arts and entertainment, history, corporate world, businesses etc., society has always looked upon them as an inspiration. Today women have achieved a lot and continue to scale new heights of success. Rightly said, behind every successful man, there lies a contribution of woman. And behind every successful woman, lies a huge contribution of another woman-her mother (of course fathers too).

Be it a housewife, manager, teacher, artist, sportsperson, businesswoman etc, every woman has one thing in common-she is often termed as a detailed think-tank. Behind every successful decision made in household, family affairs or shaping up careers of future generations, a woman plays a very important role which simply cannot be ignored.

This brings us to this topic of discussion: personal mobility solutions.

India is still a country where penetration of cars is a miniscule 10-12 per 1000 people. Count women into it and the ownership proposition is even less, not even a fraction. But lets not underestimate the ever growing number of woman drivers in our country, especially the metros where women enjoy to work hard, yet party harder. Kitty parties, social get-togethers, late night parties, all young and senior women alike are enjoying life to the fullest. And they deservedly so. And personally, as an Indian citizen, I would love to see more and more women progressing in whatever fields they choose to build their career in.

I really love the slogan “why should boys have all the fun”, which was first introduced in hero Honda pleasure scooter. An innovative concept of “just4her” was brilliant but sadly was never properly executed. As a result, the think tanks never got an opportunity to live life to the fullest.
Why? Simply because Hero Honda let a big opportunity go off the feet by not understanding the proper execution of this concept of just4her, in which there would be women exclusive showrooms managed by women sales personnel giving women a never before buying experience in our country. The market was simply not mature enough to accept this concept and this, coupled with declining scooter segment and dominance of Honda, plus hero Honda’s image as a competent motorcycle maker only led to more nails in pleasure’s coffin. Not surprisingly, the pleasure bombed.

But forget about India for a while. Lets talk about global market.

Irrespective of the brand or the product or appearance, a car is just seen as a 4 wheeled appliance with 5 seats plus some mechanicals which takes a person from point A to B. In a world of mee too products, even the bare basic car now offers luxury, safety, comfort and features of a big car. Its just the brand that differs.

So, product differentiation now, coupled with marketing, plays a major role in winning over customers, especially now considering a new profile-female buyers. While India is yet to mature in this regard, from a global perspective, it’s a market that has exploded big time in the recent years. In fact, global car manufacturers are now designing cars around women and pets as their concepts. Some recent examples include an experimental car based on Volvo C 30 hatch/C 70 convertible and Honda’s WOW concept (Wonderhearted Open Wagon), designed specifically around pet dogs. Surprised, aren’t you?

Well, of course not me. Hail the competition, and the winner-we, the customer.
But the trace of women drivers in India can be traced back to as far as 1983 when the humble and the then ultramodern Maruti 800 with its compact lightweight body, peppy yet frugal engine, smooth user friendly light controls and low on maintenance (hassle free too)made it an incredibly easy car for women to drive and own. In fact, many consider the Maruti 800 to be solely responsible for inspiring women to get behind the wheel and drive for the very first time.

Even today, women drivers use the legendary Maruti 800 as the benchmark when they go shopping. Now how did I come to know of this? Simple-just ask any woman, ”Ma’am, which was the first car you had ever driven or owned and an overwhelming majority will answer-it’s the M800.”
Now, team bhp, despite being a male dominated community is now seeing increasing number of female members and with the expected number only to grow, what better time than to analyze and pen down this article?

[sidindica]

Ideal car requirements

What should be the prime requirements for womenfolk in an ideal all round car?

• Size. Yes, first and foremost requirement is the size and this is where the word “small” is the new big. Women like compact sized easy to drive urban and extra urban runabouts based on the daily usage and congested traffic in our country’s metro and semi urban areas. AN ideal size of 3.6-3.7 M length by 1.5 width is perfect, and so does the typical kei-car which makes it ideal for them.

• Lightweight. Ladies like to own and drive a car that is light. Simply because light translates into easy driving, user friendliness, better engine pickup and mileage and also, lower maintenance costs. A typical heavy European car is a big no no unless some exceptions are counted.

• Low on maintenance. Exceptions aside, the fact remains that women are perceived that they do not want to make frequent workshop visits to sort out unforeseen niggling faults. They only prefer to visit the workshops during the scheduled service intervals. So, reliability factor plays a major role, even if many owners are not exactly maintenance savvy.

• Design. Believe It or not, nowadays design is playing a very important role in car purchase decisions. Just ask Nissan for its micra for example. Women prefer rounded soft contemporary designs which look timeless rather than brash, bold and muscular designs that males like.

• Exterior and interior shades-light coloured, often sometimes flashy exterior colours are the toast of the season.

• Lightweight controls-the most important requirement that a women looks (or should look) while purchasing a car for herself. Light pedals, slick gearbox and user friendly control stalks plus ergonomics play a major important role in decision making process. After all, women like cars that are least stressful to drive.

• Basic features-AC and Power steering are now the two must have features in a new car. While AC keeps temperature inside the car to a comfortable level all time, so that you arrive fresh to your destination. And lightweight feather touch power steering plays another role in making this happen as the hatch is chuckable. Light steering=effortless driving=reduced fatigue=reach your destination with smile.

• Front seat space and seat travel factors: Sadly, manufacturers do not offer adjustable steering and height adjustable seats in lower end variants which womenfolk generally purchase. A typical Indian woman is 5.5 feet in height and these factors should be of prime importance, rather than a bling stereo or an ACC. Typical Indian women are single self drivers, so front seat space and seat travel range is very important before finalizing your purchase. If the driving position and ergonomics suit you, go ahead and make the deal, If it does not, walk away. You still have other options out there.

• All round visibility-perhaps the most important factor in car purchase decision. Sadly the perception Is that “women do not see around and drive properly and complain of too much blind spots owing to a car’s design.” So, it’s equally important to choose a car which suits your height and visibility quotient. How to decide? Take a thorough test drive.

• Price and safety-sadly a typical women buyer spends not anything more than 4.5-5 lakh at most in the car and goes for either a basic or a middle variant depending upon their requirement. Safety is paramount and if you can stretch the budget for the vital safety features like ABS and airbags, it is every bit worth the extra cash.

[sidindica]

Options available:

Based on aforementioned Criteria, lets check out the best possible option combinations available for women buyers in the Indian small car market, especially after plethora of options that we have got in today's times. I will only stress on "brand new" options as of now. Used car options will be seen later.

Budget: Rs. 1.8-3.0 lakh (entry level)

Tata Nano:

• Its cute, easy to drive, spacious, and its extremely compact size ensures that it fits a women buyer's requirements to the T. for daily driving in semi urban and urban areas, the nano makes the most sense. Its rear engine and RWD layout make it incredibly user friendly as well. Fuel efficiency is a big plus. The all aluminum 2 cylinder 623 cc combined with extremely lightweight should make the nano an ideal car not just for woman, but also for those ladies who are first time learners. Great all round visibility is an added bonus. No, it does not have a power steering but the manual steering is incredibly light and direct that it negates the need of it. For that crucial price point, it does the job extremely well. All wheel independent suspension ensures decent ride as well. Ease of entry and exit due to tall design, is an added bonus, especially for sari clad women, aided further by doors that open a full 90 degrees.
• Things that have to be looked into while buying this car should be that don't expect too long a tank to tank range given the fuel tank capacity to be just 15 litres. Tall height maybe an added bonus to liberate space on a compact footprint, but stability at speeds over 50 can be suspect. It comes with Drum brakes all round, so do not expect stellar braking performance. Its OSRVM is very tiny, another drawback. Boot space is almost nonexistent, maybe just for a couple of small shopping bags. And no, there is no hatch opening mechanism. It has to be accessed by folding down the rear sat, quite inconvenient. Tata's after sales service quality still remains a cause for concern though network is vast.
• Despite its pros and cons, for the price you pay, it is well equipped and makes for an ideal daily city dweller, if you don't ask too much out of it.
• My take: the top end nano LX, even though CX with AC suits the bill for most basic occasions.

Maruti Alto:

• Since the 800 has been withdrawn, the alto has been its spiritual successor. It takes forward all the strengths of the humble 800 and improves upon its weaknesses in a bigger and better all round package that tops just about Rs. 3 lakhs OTR for the LXI. The car is low slung, driving position is ideal for a typical 5.5 feet woman and visibility is superb all round. The large rear windscreen comes in handy while reversing. Superb mileage, reliability, extremely chilling air conditioner, amazing ride quality for an entry level car and a super light power steering make it fun to potter around traffic. Space at front and seat travel is good, too. Lightweight and fuel efficient, it can consistently return 16-18 kmpl if driven in an optimised manner. The proven F8D engine also has superb low end driveability, perfect for city drives, aided by a flat torque curve. Maruti service backup is a huge plus.
• Given the engine size, power and torque limitations (796 cc, 47 ps, 620 NM), the AC takes a heavy toll on the overall engine pickup and it requires a full drab on the throttle to get that crucial extra grunt. Despite having 4 valves per cylinder, the 3 cylinder unit often gets strained, course and unrefined at high revs and low rpm jerks remains the Achilles heal of this motor, which traces its basic roots back to 1982. The gearshift quality too has become less than steller with each passing year, and so did the interior quality. The recent BS 4 upgraded alto promises 0-100 kmph acceleration in 17.7 seconds and better drivability though due to optimized gear ratios. Still, more cost cutting is evident in this model as compared to the BS 3 model.
• Still, despite these cons, it remains a superb overall buy in this segment and by far the new default choice of women drivers.
• My take: The LXi with PS. Just a marginal premium over the regular LX, it is way better car any day. The non PS versions are best avoided due to heavy steering feel.
• It would be worthwhile to check out the new alto K10 which is coming on 4th august as it promises to carry all the alto's strengths and improve upon its weaknesses with overall better performance and mileage and new looks. Price remains to be seen though it can be pegged to be extremely competitive.

Chevrolet Spark:

• Ever since its launch, the spark is proving to be very popular among the lady buyers, a big attribute being owed to its cheeky friendly design which looks equally funky. A peppy and frugal 1.0 S-tec engine, spacious interiors and light pedals plus controls make it an extremely user friendly urban car. For highway runs, this is by far the best. Stability is superb for a compact sized runabout and the power steering is superbly weighted for its size, giving it class leading handling along with a pliant ride. Its after all a reincarnation of the matiz, which was well known for its dynamics. Pickup at any gear is superb and the car's light build makes it extremely efficient too, for those who want good fuel economy. Its being sold with great deals and discounts and Chevrolet's superb service and warranty packages makes this one a serious contender.
• Visibility factor, important factor for women, is lacking in this car for short women drivers. An extremely high set dashboard, absence of the so called "bonnet of a 2 box" due to cab forward design and low seating posture makes it difficult to judge the road ahead from a nearby angle. No height adjustment for seats adds to the chore. the dashboard also has a tendency to foul with your knee and the central mounted instrument cluster may not be convenient to everyone. A mishmash of tachometer, temperature and fuel gauges and now a battery meter all pegged into one adjustable display too add to the inconvenience as you have to keep pressing the button to see all the information. Not exactly a good thing from a safety and design point of view, as it just adds to the overall frustration. Gear lever too is a bit placed long back and the shift quality isn't exactly the best, though its smooth, it sounds clunky with long throws. Service standard of GM has improved vastly since the past couple of years, but still more work needs to be done. beige interiors get soiled easily and may require frequent dry cleaning to keep them on shape.
• weighing the pros and cons, the spark remains a superb product and with the PS version going for alto price levels after discounts, it remains a class best buy.
• My pick: the PS version fulfills all the requirements, though LS can be looked too depending upon your budget.

[sidindica]

Budget: Rs. 3.0-4.0 lakh (level 2 segment)

Hyundai I10 1.1

• The santro used to be one time ladies favorite, but the I10 again is a superb buy. Low seating position, light clutch, smooth gearbox, superb all round visibility and overall quality that it provides in its price point make it a superb car to by and own. The 1.1 epsilon motor has superb low end torque that makes city driving effortless, combined with an ergonomically placed gear lever and butter smooth shifts, it can make an ideal car for the ladies. Overall interior volume is superb though front seat travel and legroom can be better. Optimally placed pedals are an added bonus, and so is the light throttle pedal. Ease of entry and exit due to tall design, is an added bonus, especially for sari clad women.
• Beige interior design, though of superb quality can be distracting with stray reflections on windscreen which create blind spots. It gets soiled easily too and again requires dry cleaning at frequent intervals. The ride quality is good but low speeds can be jiggly with the suspension being tuned on the softer side. The MDPS is a bit heavy on parking speeds compared to Maruti's EPS system and could have been calibrated better from a ladies perspective. Inconsistent quality of service needs to be looked upon despite many bright spots, but maintenance costs due to high labour rates can be a real downer. Parts are competitively priced and are of good quality. Lack of adjustable front seat head restraints is again a con given the car' price point.
• weighing the pros and cons, the I10 is a good buy in this price point and one of the many reasons for its success.
• My take: the 1.1 era. More than adequate and suits all the requirements well.

Maruti A-star

• An ideal car for urban young college going girls. Trendy design (if not for the battered backside), superb k10 engine and class best handling make it an ideal car for this buyer demographic. it has not set the sales charts on fire, but for a single girl driver, this remains a superb choice especially after hefty discounts being offered now. The car has a superb driving position, quality interior plastics (from maruti standards), amazing front visibility and huge front seat travel releasing acres of front legroom again should make it worth considering for those looking for a modern and thoroughly engineered car in today's times. Inherent 3 cylinder thrums notwithstanding, the engine is an eager and a peppy performer and the PS is superbly caliberated to the chassis with pin sharp handling that make it fun to drive. Superb AC, light pedals and maruti reliability, all packed in a modern chassis.
• Nonexistent boot and rear seat space is a real downer. The rear window design severely restricts visibility at rear three quarters, feels extremely claustrophobic and is a potential deal breaker. Again, fixed front seat head restraints remain a safety concern and so does the fragile looking rear design, marred by a small windscreen. The k10 engine becomes course at high speeds but revs smoothly. Again, gearshift though superb could have been more precise, and overall ride quality could have been better. Braking again is average on NON ABS equipped brakes and some cases the vehicle has a tendency to skid.
• Weighing the pros and cons, the a-star remains a niche choice for the aforementioned buyer demographic, read flashy college going girls. It has some good points, but there are still many better options out there.
• My pick: VXi. The LXi is just overpriced for its equipment levels and zxi only good for those looking for ABS and airbags. Otherwise, VXI does most of the things required.

Maruti Zen Estilo

• When the legendery zen was replaced by the estilo in late 2006, it was an immediate hit. Many women went on to buy the car, some flashy shades like purple fusion and sparkling olive green plus virgin blue being top sellers. But as time progressed, demanded waned and the car was sold at discounts. All these colours were later withdrawn. Based on the same platform as the alto and erstwhile 1999-2010 march wagon-R, it comes from an old school design. Light in weight, it actually makes a good case for women buyers despite its age. A big plus point of this car is superb use of vertical space and has superb overall interior volume for 4 women of 5.5 feet. Almost flat rear floor adds some brownie points. Boot space too is superb and so is he tall design, easy for ingress and egress. Actually a USP of this car is that it makes a superb buy for women who have senior citizens to ferry around! The new facelifted model with K10 engine is much improved in terms of overall performance, ride and handling. maruti's after sales network too is an added bonus.
• Despite the tightened up suspension, the stability actor remains a deal breaker. unaerodynamic design and brick like aerodynamics make it susceptible to crosswinds and less than stellar ride quality does not help either.Despite being fun to rev, the motor has a tendency to jerk at low rppms and can get quite thrashy at redline. Handling too is inconsistent though steering is very light, great for city and parking. the new Facelifted model is not exactly to everyone's taste either with the design being a mishmash of half van and half car, as compared to flowing lines of he earlier estilo. Chocolate brown and beige interiors to can be a love it or a hate it design.
• weighing all the pros and cons, and going by the current discounts offered, the estilo can be considered as an ideal buy provided you know the limitations of the design and below par resale value. Tyre upgrade highly recommended.
• My Pick: LXi. Does the job as and when required and ticks many right boxes. VXi, only if you want to consider ABS plus driver airbag as options.

Car to wait and watch out for: Alto K-10.

[sidindica]

Budget: Rs. 4.0 to 5.5 lakh ("high end" segment)

Hyundai I10 1.2 Automatic

• If price is not a major consideration, this is the best small car for ladies that money can buy in India. Major points can be attributed to its superb combination of peppy 1.2 kappa motor and automatic 4 speed gearbox. Keeping all the core values of i10 alive, the automatic option is hard to ignore, especially with today's changing lifestyles and hectic driving plus increased fatigued life cycle of working women. The car does away with convectional clutch pedal and comes with an automatic 4 speed gearbox with a torque converter, which automatically shifts gears according to engine rpm, speed and driving style. The ratios are well spaced and despite the less than steller bottom end driveability, the auto box helps to extract the best out of the 1.2 litre 78 ps unit. Tired of gear shifting? This is the perfect solution. Just slot it on D and let the engine take care of the rest of your driving needs.
• In addition to the aforementioned drawbacks, the engine is not exactly known for its fuel economy. It varies hugely on driving style. Sedate driving can yield double digit figures on the city but aggressiveness can drop figures to as low as 7-8 kmpl with AC on. Also, the transmission needs to be maintained regularly due to some complex components. transmission oil is claimed to last the lifetime though. Manual transmission cars require an oil change every 30,000 kms.Can be expensive to maintain too.
• pros and cons taken into consideration, for hassle free urban and semi urban commuting with occasional highway driving, this remains a class best choice. Tyre upgrade highly recommended.
• My pick: magna, if on a restricted or a specifed budget, or sportz, if you want some additional features. but magna still remains a better choice. The asta is overpriced and is only made on order.

Nissan Micra 1.2

• If the initial reaction is to go by, this car has the potential to become a women's favorite as it combines all the requirements, read rounded refreshing design, contemporary and funky interior design and light colours, extremely lightweight, user friendly nippy character and compact size, in addition to superb interior space, comfortable front seats and superb all round visibility being an added bonus. Nippy handling and superb ride, its one of the few small cars to come equipped with 14" wheels, which further aids dynamics. No wonder you can count me in on its growing list of fans. Styling remains a deal maker. Cool factors like keyless go and power retractible mirrors should suit women who like some flashiness and show off. Competitive pricing only adds to the cake. And to top it all, driver airbag on every variant is a big bonus.
• The car has very few wrongs like uninspiring engine (based on the review), 3 cylinder coarseness and lack of low end torque, features like drivers' seat height adjustment not provided below average back seat comfort and most importantly, limited dealer coverage plus unknown maintenance costs. Long term reliability is yet to be proven but if Nissan's track record is anything to go by, this car can become a potential hit for Nissan.
• pros and cons aside, keeping the price to features to specs ratio, as a product, this would be my pick in the manual transmission option. Just waiting for initial reviews on the service aspect as well but expect nissan to get its act together and provide splendid service, as promised.
• My pick: XL for most purposes, though some may be tempted to spend that extra 25,000 and get the top spec XV for the cool "intelligent key factor"! paisa vasool.

Offbeat choice: Chevrolet Beat 1.2

• Like the A-star, though not many women buyers have purchased the beat, it makes a perfect nippy hatch for those young girls who want to show off. Buy one in cocktail green and see heads turn. The design is radical and to some it may sound forced and excessive (its a korean design) but it screams presence like no other hatch in its category. Competitively priced, superbly built and equipped, it is pretty user friendly and the car is fun to drive an can be fuel efficient too. Braking and ride again is a big plus point, so is the front space and a funky dashboard design with a superbike inspired meter cluster.
• Cons include poor low rpm throttle response, that is the engine has inconsistent torque spread and you have to correctly us the gearbox and whip the motor to get it to perform. Not exactly a good point from a ladies perspective. Black interiors give you a feeling of claustrophobia and ergonomics are not the best either. The dashboard again fouls with the knee and gear lever is awkwardly placed, so are the cramped pedals.
• pros and cons being put together, the best, though popular, will only appeal to a certain set of women buyer demographic, those inclined to own a "hatke" product. Some features like drivers' seat height adjustment and remote keyless entry missing though.
• My pick: LT. every bit worth the extra cash.

[sidindica]

Diesel option:

There are 8-9 options available. But sadly diesel car market is untapped for a typical Indian woman buyer demographic.
They are perceived to be heavy, both on weight and on driving feel, user friendliness, price and maintenance etc.

But there is one car that does make for a worthy consideration for those women who drive frequently and maybe even commute long distances.

Ford Figo 1.4 TDCi

• It may be a decade old design based on current Indian fiesta platform but it makes perfect sense for our market. It may be heavy on weight but its controls are actually very light, and the clutch is smooth enough from a women buyers' perspective and the most important thing, the engine-the ford-PSA Peugeot Citroen designed 1.4 TDCi is a marvel. Absolutely close to zero turbo lag make this the best urban and semi urban budget diesel hatch in India. Performance for most purposes is more than adequate, the interiors feel durable and hard wearing though many parts scream cost cutting. Ride and handling combination is again, superb and perfectly suits the car's positioning as an urban commuter. Great sounding music system with bluetooth connectivity and an extremely competitive price to equipment ratio is an added bonus.
• Major cons include long term reliability factor. Its not proven yet and based on owner reviews, some cars have had premature part failures. So that's a major point to look into. Ford's service standards remain a major cause for concern, though network has expanded and pats are very cheap after ford rationalized the price bracket and the car is heavily localized. the design of front and rear bumpers plus the placement of radiators again is a major cause for concern, so as some missing equipment levels.
• Pros and cons summed up, for the price you pay in the range of 5.0-5.5 lakhs ex showroom, this is a superb all round diesel car for women and despite some major drawbacks, the car is a success story. Resale values and a change in brand perception remain to be seen though.
• My pick: ZXI for buyers on a budget. Though titanium is worth the extra cash.

Refined and upmarket option worth considering:

Maruti Ritz DDiS

• The car has been a sales flop but again is a practical and a refined hassle free car to own. Powered by the fiat derived award winning multijet which also powers the swift, the engine, though suffering from turbolag, is an eager and refined performer with decent driveability. High SUV like seating position, superb front visibility and good overall leg space is a added bonus, so dos the maruti's reliability-hassle-free-to-own package.
• The car is priced too high for the equipment levels it offers. Stability and handling due to tall height is no great either and worse, the rear end design has kept many buyers away. Still, it remains a good option for the aforementioned criteria.
• pros and cons summed up, the car needs to be priced lower. This is a superb diesel car and actually a better highway plus a semi urban performer. So, a good option worth considering.
• My pick: VDI. LDI is too sparsely equipped for the price which can get you a figo ZXI. Discounts available across the diesel range.

[Ram]

My neighbour's wife drives a 2009 Honda Accord.
More power to her. Why should we assume ladies should have small compact cars?
After all I bought my red Ford Mustang from a girl who sold it to finance her higher education.

[YaeJay]

Originally Posted by Ram

Why should we assume ladies should have small compact cars?

Very true! Its not rare to see ladies driving around in their SUVs!

[amanbir_jolly]

I recently gifted Ritz petrol to my Mum, its a nice spacious car , with nice edgy corners , She is pretty happy with it as she feels safe and uprite seat position gives her great driving position

[BuRnT RuBbEr]

chuck all that. saw so many females driving innovas. even spotted one in a sumo once :P

[ownerofazkaban]

From folks who drive, I hear good old zen is what they enjoy most, followed by Alto.

[suman]

Sid, I hope this is not another MCP kind of thread in the making.

Seems like you've assumed that women would not enjoy driving anything bigger than a Figo? Why? I see them driving just about everything under the sun so I'm not sure what exactly constitutes the concept of "all round"?

I see women driving Scorpios & Safaris too & some of them enjoy it simply because visibility is better & people don't mess around.

[sajo]

Sid, may I ask why the Swift P and the i20 P are left out ? If both of them are light (not that it matters, I dont have to lift them up in any way), affordable to buy , run and maintain and great to drive for me, I assume it would be so for womenfolk too.

[idea1979]

Spotting women driving power wheels is not that uncommon , however , i feel , this write up is aimed at majority class (considering women) and their likings when it comes to select their drive ;-).

Its good detailed write up. Enjoyed going through it.