[WhiteKnight]

Originally Posted by Mevtec

The article goes like this....."we were riding the OHC along the highway at about 90km/hr in fourth gear.Then we saw a car ?Astra coming from behind at about 100km/hr and flashing headlights!.It seemed that the driver was drunk.

Just to clear the air. The article never referenced Astra. He talked about an SUV/MUV with extra flashy lights. Anyway, one of the best written intro for any car.

Since we are at it, I'd request everyone to drop the VTEC talk. This thread is about OHC. VTEC might be great, but what made OHC a success was the 1.5 and 1.3. Take a look at those in isolation, and they were indeed mean machines of those times.

[suman]

Originally Posted by SkyWalker

How many car models can you give as an example which has reduced the EX Showroom price by more than 15% in last 10 years? (I am not talking about failed and hence had to reduce price to sell products).

That's a discussion for another thread - lots of factors to be considered including the basic one - was the initial pricing correct? And, do you agree that almost all manufacturers (India) pricing are effectively lower now (considering absolute prices & equipment being offered) than early 2000 levels?

[Shan2nu]

AFAIK OHC VTEC had a Ex Showroom price of 10.5lakhs in New Delhi. Please correct if i am wrong.

We got ours for 9.97L OTR in 2001.

Shan2nu

[suman]

Originally Posted by Shan2nu

We got ours for 9.97L OTR in 2001.

There you are - from the horse's mouth

I think the 10.5 was for the NHC ZX VTEC.

[prince_pervez]

Its is still a looker. Throw in a spoiler and a fresh paint coat, alloys and it will give many a run for its money. No snaps from owners? I'm surprised.

[SkyWalker]

Originally Posted by suman

There you are - from the horse's mouth

I think the 10.5 was for the NHC ZX VTEC.

Yep, i guess original poster was wrong. The fact is ANHC sill cheap in ex showroom, albeit by a small margin. ( I bought ANHC for 9.46 OTR in Bangalore, and prices are highest in BLR - so if you take ex showroom - i am sure it would still be 60-70K cheaper than it was in 2001)

Originally Posted by suman

And, do you agree that almost all manufacturers (India) pricing are effectively lower now (considering absolute prices & equipment being offered) than early 2000 levels?

Not really when i compare absolute prices. Take corolla for example - it has increased in price. How about Octavia's and Mercs? Most of them have increased their ex show room prices.

[Shan2nu]

Yep, i guess original poster was wrong. The fact is ANHC sill cheap in ex showroom, albeit by a small margin. ( I bought ANHC for 9.46 OTR in Bangalore, and prices are highest in BLR - so if you take ex showroom - i am sure it would still be 60-70K cheaper than it was in 2001)

No, the ANHC is slightly expensive. My cousin picked one up 2 weeks ago and he paid 10.45 OTR in Hubli. Our OHC VTEC was 9.97 OTR in Blore.

So delhi prices at that time must have been even lower.

Shan2nu

[vcash]

A word about the City 1.5 Exi Limited Edition.

When I read about the first review of the City in Auto India in early 1998, I knew I had to have it.

But alas, we got a Cielo GLX as that was Daewoo was the only 'premium' car manufacturer that had a dealership in Jamshedpur.

Over the next few years, I pined for the City more and more but a lack of dealership in the Eastern Region was always a deterrent. I remember a conversation with my Father trying to rationalize a long commute for service & maintenance - And I was serious!

Finally in the year 2002, we decided to change our Esteem and after due research, I found out about Windsor Honda that was setup in Calcutta relatively recently. My dream of having a City in the garage was finally nearing fruition.

The Esteem was sold right away and we proceeded to book our City. Budget was under 10L and right before we were about to book a City 1.5 VTEC, One piece of news came my way. Honda was to offer a limited edition. Windsor was not aware of this model, so after tons of calls made to dealers in the North & Honda Corporate, I found out that the car would be available in Night Hawk Black in the 1.5 Exi trim with Gold Trimmings for a 10K upcharge. One look at the NHB color on Honda's Malaysian website, I was sold.

I wanted our city to be special. So, we got Stanley leather seats installed at Windsor itself - Cost 40K and a high end pioneer HU, CD Changer and speaker upgrades: Cost - 30K and OEM fogs - 8K. By the end of it, our City had worked out to 9.20L on road in Kolkata, only 15K cheaper than the V-Tec. The other reason I shied away from the V-TEC at that time was because an acquaintance had bought the V-TEC and complained of a harsh ride at lower speeds. The 1.5 on the other hand had got rave reviews. In hindsight I would have got the V-Tec but the gem of the 1.5 engine holds it's own so no regrets here.

We had requested Windsor to deliver the car in Jamshedpur and their driver took 10 hours to drive down (A journey that should take no more than 5 hours - The reason, he literally crawled as he did not want a single scratch or blemish to come on the car on the torturous roads from Kolkata to Jamshedpur. I remember being awake all night, looking out the window every few hours.

Ours was the 4th City in town and boy was she the cynosure of all eyes! Owning the City was a special experience too. Every 3 months, the service folks from Honda would come down to Jamshedpur - Take all 4 cars to a private garage for the day - Service and deliver them back.

During the last 7+ years of ownership, she has been great. Whenever we have thought of upgrading to a class or two above, the decision has always go pushed because I could never find a reason to replace her or for that matter the will.

A truly special car - 50K run, in great shape inside and out, a sheer pleasure to drive, one of the least maintenance seeking cars and above all - Always brings a smile to my face every time I step on the throttle. She's not going anywhere, anytime soon.

[ImmortalZ]

Originally Posted by suman

Immortalz, with all due respect, this is the ANHC we are talking about, not the CRV - what does the US$ have to do with the current model pricing?

The USD is the currency benchmark to which the value of every other currency is calculated against.

[suman]

Originally Posted by Shan2nu

No, the ANHC is slightly expensive. My cousin picked one up 2 weeks ago and he paid 10.45 OTR in Hubli. Our OHC VTEC was 9.97 OTR in Blore.

Shan2nu, quick question - the OHC Vtec had discs at the rear also IIRC? (I know the NHC ZX Vtec had but I'm not sure about the OHC)

[SkyWalker]

Originally Posted by Shan2nu

No, the ANHC is slightly expensive. My cousin picked one up 2 weeks ago and he paid 10.45 OTR in Hubli. Our OHC VTEC was 9.97 OTR in Blore.

I thought Kolkotta prices were cheaper than BLR. Anyway you might be considering the V version.

I picked the ANHC S M/T which has better trim levels than OHC Vtec for 9.46 OTR in Bangalore (Mar 2009). Also factor in that the road taxes have gone up substantially between 2001 & now in Bangalore.

And yes, there was an April 09 price revision, so the new S would be close to the OHC Vtec in prices.

[suman]

Originally Posted by ImmortalZ

The USD is the currency benchmark to which the value of every other currency is calculated against.

OK, lets look at US$ to INR rates for 1999, 2001 & 2009 (10th December average rates) -
1999 - INR 43.48
2001 (refer Shan2nu's purchase) - INR 47.93
2009 - INR 46.94.
So, the below doesn't hold IMHO

Originally Posted by ImmortalZ

If you really want to know how the ANHC is the deal of the century, factor in depreciation. How much was the US$ to rupee in 1999 and how is it now?

Originally Posted by SkyWalker

10.5 lacs in '98 is more like 18-20 lacs now

Originally Posted by SkyWalker

I thought Kolkotta prices were cheaper than BLR. Anyway you might be considering the V version.

He's talking about Hubli, not Hooghly

[SkyWalker]

Originally Posted by suman

He's talking about Hubli, not Hoogly

duh! I should improve my reading skills.
thanks!

@vcash - nice writeup!

[ssjr0498]

Hi,
the OHC Vtec did NOT have discs at the rear, it was the NHC Zx Vtec that came with it.

The Ohc had drums at the back.

Cheers
Shrey

Originally Posted by suman

Shan2nu, quick question - the OHC Vtec had discs at the rear also IIRC? (I know the NHC ZX Vtec had but I'm not sure about the OHC)

[suman]

Originally Posted by ssjr0498

Hi,
the OHC Vtec did NOT have discs at the rear, it was the NHC Zx Vtec that came with it.

The Ohc had drums at the back.

Cheers
Shrey

Thanks for that clarification Shrey. Now, they've left it out in the ANHC, can't for the life of me figure out why!!!