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Old 23rd May 2010, 22:00   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by blue_pulsar View Post
Fiat 500
Volkswagen Beetle
Again, expensive niche cars which are great conversation starters. So a lifestyle car is not really a practical car, is it? And it's got to be wallet-bustingly expensive too?
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Originally Posted by MonkeyMan View Post
A Lifestyle Vehicle is to Show to Others That I can Afford Certain Features in my Car, Which Users in Other Countries Get at Non Lifestyle Product prices
Yeah? The bigger the "ishtyle" quotient, the more likely it is to be an LSV?
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Originally Posted by Muzungu View Post
guys lets not confuse 'lifestyle' vehicles with 'status symbol' vehicles!
But aren't status symbol vehicles also being considered to be LSVs in India? My question is India-specific. A Fiat 500 is a daily runabout in Italy, but it takes on the mantle of an LSV according to many members here. Just because it is a niche car. So are niche cars also considered as LSVs?
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Originally Posted by Sankar View Post
I would term a lifestyle vehicle as a vehicle which is very personal and may be out of the mainstream. If i'm a family man a lifestyle vehicle is something i would buy to thoroughly enjoy myself after the family is provided with one or two regular Cars/SUVs. A lifestyle vehicle could be a personal or a couple vehicle, but would not suit many as a family vehicle. A lifestyle vehicle is something which may not be very practical always.

Jeeps/Gypsies can be termed a lifestyle vehicle in case of people who use Jeeps & Gypsies for offroading adventures and use a Car/SUV for regular commute.
So once again, we are back to square one. An LSV is, at the end of the day, an off-roader by the above definition. Sudev owns a GV and he uses it for driving to work daily. He also uses it to have fun off-road. So his GV would not be an LSV. But if I buy and park the same GV to ONLY take out during off-road trips, it is my LSV. Do I understand this correctly? If so, is the GV an LSV or not?
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Originally Posted by GordonGekko View Post
To me it would be grand-tourers such as the M3, CL class etc.
Fast and luxurious. But then it goes against Sankar's definition...
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sankar View Post
Lifestyle vehicle need not be an expensive vehicle.
Quote:
Originally Posted by GTO View Post
Great thread idea. To me, the definition is a vehicle that allows you a certain lifestyle, which regular sedans / hatchbacks cannot.

Subaru Forester : One of the best lifestyle vehicles to be sold in India. Super AWD system can take you places, built robust and cargo space of a station wagon. Jeep / Gypsy 4x4s for the Offroading "lifestyle".
Are we starting to agree that a luxurious off-roader is an LSV? Would your run-of-the-mill CJxx/MM5xx/Gypsy be able to compete with it? And why not a GV? And if a GV is an LSV, then are we okay to define an LSV as strictly an off-roader?
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Originally Posted by GTO View Post
What about the Tempo Traveller motorhomes? For those who want to live on the road, quite literally so! Imagine parking out on a scenic isolated spot for the entire weekend and chilling with your family. Beats that 5 star hotel room any day.
So what you are defining is an RV or caravan. By that definition, I don't know of a single person within my circle, who owns an LSV. Except DKG, who's building his own.
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Originally Posted by GTO View Post
We can also include sportscars as lifestyle vehicles...and more so if the owner uses them on the track.
A lot of people race their plain-Jane Honda Citys on the track - but that car is also used for their daily commute to office. And what about someone who keeps a souped-up Honda (or even a 911), but does NOT go racing with it? Is the 911 his LSV? But Honda never sold Citys as LSVs...
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Originally Posted by GTO View Post
In a way, I'd consider vintage cars as lifestyle cars too. ... But I know of some VCCI enthusiasts who'd spend weekends working on ol' cars with their kids. Customary sunday evening drive is the highlight. Go out sourcing parts with your friends. Now, that's a lifestyle for 'em fans of old cars.
Well, that's a new viewpoint with which to look at LSVs. Something (any vehicle, from bicycle to Rolls Royce), which ignites one's passion to get grease under his fingernails. Is trammway's bicycle his LSV? Or, do the dozens of cars, from Yezdis to Heralds to Beetles, being restored and discussed on this forum, constitute LSVs?

But I want to discuss LSVs that are bought and sold new, and are marketed by the automobile companies as LSVs. Restoring an old car is a hobby IMHO, not a lifestyle.

Last edited by SS-Traveller : 23rd May 2010 at 22:07.
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Old 23rd May 2010, 22:32   #17
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to me lifestyle vehicle should not make any practical purpose for example the Ferrari California.
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Old 24th May 2010, 01:05   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SS-Traveller View Post
Are we starting to agree that a luxurious off-roader is an LSV? Would your run-of-the-mill CJxx/MM5xx/Gypsy be able to compete with it? And why not a GV? And if a GV is an LSV, then are we okay to define an LSV as strictly an off-roader?
I think that the 'lifestyle' tag is a bit subjective,misleading and quite vague.A car serves various purposes to various people of varying lifestyles.

For a person who loves to travel and adventure,a full size TLC Amazon would be a lifestyle vehicle for him because it caters to his lifestyle. Whereas for most people its a big,imposing status symbol.Again there are rich businessmen/industrialists for whom there are frequent out of town visits on not-so-good roads.A TLC serves its purpose there too.

Similarly for a passionate off road/rally nut,a Gypsy fits the bill perfectly,because it caters to his,you guessed it, lifestyle! Also there are people who buy a Gypsy just to impress chicks on that late night joy-ride.

The only cars that come close to being called LSVs are purpose built machines.Cars like the track focused Porsche 911 GT3 RS and extreme off road vehicles like the Mercedes-Benz Unimog.But again,there still might be a handful of people who'll buy these cars just because they are different from the rest and will be a more powerful tool to make an impression!


Quote:
Originally Posted by SS-Traveller View Post
But I want to discuss LSVs that are bought and sold new, and are marketed by the automobile companies as LSVs. Restoring an old car is a hobby IMHO, not a lifestyle.
Its mostly marketing gimmick,nothing else.

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Originally Posted by vinaydas View Post
to me lifestyle vehicle should not make any practical purpose for example the Ferrari California.
The Cali's one of the better sports cars out there in terms of practicality.
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Old 24th May 2010, 01:57   #19
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There cant be a common definition for lifestyle vehicles. Its subjective and differs from one person to another. Its the way one look at a car. I may treat a Forester as a LSV but for some others it would be just another luxury car.
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Old 24th May 2010, 07:10   #20
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I think the term "Lifestyle vehicle" is a Media Jargon; A mere buzzword.

Most of them would buy a car that suit their pocket. But they however see that all their day-to-day needs and long drive requirements are satisfied to the best possible extent within the constrained budget.

The rest who have money to dispense will indulge, based on either what is available, or rather what the money can buy. Within this sector, those who are passionate (and those who have money) will chose what they want carefully.
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Old 24th May 2010, 10:15   #21
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Further to my previous post, an Enfield Bullet is probably the cheapest lifestyle vehicle one can buy. Ideal for long-distance touring, take participation in the many Bullet events, there's dedicated Enfield touring / activity groups etc....in a way, the following is cult-like.
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Old 24th May 2010, 10:46   #22
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Originally Posted by GTO View Post
Further to my previous post, an Enfield Bullet is probably the cheapest lifestyle vehicle one can buy. Ideal for long-distance touring, take participation in the many Bullet events, there's dedicated Enfield touring / activity groups etc....in a way, the following is cult-like.
What about a bicycle? I see a major movement happening towards going 'bike way' in places like Bangalore with many techies getting in to the band wagon.

Yeti, when launched will be a true lifestyle vehicle. It is radical and would be pricy enough so that it would not become a mainstream.
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Old 24th May 2010, 11:10   #23
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The Maruti Van:
We used to own a Maruti Van ~ 1994-2002; We treated that car like a mobile home we took it on atleast half a dozen family vacations with 7 of us on board A cotton mattress fitted the boot perfectly, and two of us (10-15 yr olds) would happily snuggle up and sleep, or we could sit up and play a game of Uno!
The rear seat could be completely removed to create a lovely large flatbed for carrying stuff or people, I even remember setting up a camp where we wanted to sit with our feet in the water, so we promptly removed the rear bench (which could stand as an independent sofa) and fixed it between a couple of rocks over the stream, lo and behold, a sofa where you could sit with your feet dangling in the water....

Although I'm reminiscing, and I do realise that in today's context this could never work (No AC, Poor Suspension, Poor Stability, Weak Engine etc. etc..); But inspite of all this i still dream of owning a Van - "My Ultimate Lifestyle Vehicle"

OT: The rear flatbed in any car is so totally invaluable, I transported a cupboard in my humble M800 (with the dicky open), After dad had failed to fit the same in his City (Not because there was'nt enough space, but because the boot opening was to small)
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Old 24th May 2010, 20:51   #24
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I think that lifestyle vehicles are those that project a different image than mainstream vehicles. A hatch, sedan or SUV is not a lifestyle vehicle, because they're mainstream, which solely serve the purpose of transportation from A to B. To me, a lifestyle vehicle is something that is extraordinary, while being practical at the same time. A lifestyle vehicle has to be fun in some way. It has to enhance your daily life.
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Old 24th May 2010, 22:48   #25
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 1100D View Post
In my opinion, "lifestyle vehicles" as referred to in India are those vehicles, that are used to project the personality of the owner as outdoorsy, activity filled etc.

... Mostly to mimic the weekend recreation of common people in the developed world. Say boat hauling, canoeing, fishing, jet skii's and the like...
ownership of these vehicles in India also has the ability to convey that the owners have have a lifestyle comparable to the west.

However, it is to be debated whether it is possible to lead a similar life on our warmer climes.

I saw a Tata Xenon carrying cartons of packaged drinking water and being driven by individuals who are as far removed in personality from a cool dude as one can imagine.
So what you mean to say is, a lifestyle vehicle in India is that type of vehicle which is exclusively used in the Western countries as a LSV, but may be used in India as even a cargo carrier! So promoting a vehicle as a LSV in India may not necessarily sell that vehicle because at least some are NOT used in the way the manufacturer proposes.
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Originally Posted by vinaydas View Post
to me lifestyle vehicle should not make any practical purpose for example the Ferrari California.
Any impractical vehicle is an LSV? I thought it was proposed to be the other way round.
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Originally Posted by AyAn! View Post
I think that the 'lifestyle' tag is a bit subjective,misleading and quite vague.A car serves various purposes to various people of varying lifestyles.
That's precisely what this thread hopes to sort out.
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Originally Posted by AyAn! View Post
For a person who loves to travel and adventure,a full size TLC Amazon would be a lifestyle vehicle for him because it caters to his lifestyle. Whereas for most people its a big,imposing status symbol.Again there are rich businessmen/industrialists for whom there are frequent out of town visits on not-so-good roads.A TLC serves its purpose there too.
Hmmm... A status symbol (expensive, powerful, fast, tough) is the LSV in India? Even though it may not be used to do the duty it can do?
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Originally Posted by AyAn! View Post
Similarly for a passionate off road/rally nut,a Gypsy fits the bill perfectly,because it caters to his,you guessed it, lifestyle! Also there are people who buy a Gypsy just to impress chicks on that late night joy-ride.
Multiple lifestyle seekers use the same vehicle, never mind what the specs of the vehicle are?
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Originally Posted by AyAn! View Post
The only cars that come close to being called LSVs are purpose built machines.
Exactly what I said when I mentioned the vehicle DKG is building.
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Originally Posted by AyAn! View Post
...people who'll buy these cars just because they are different from the rest and will be a more powerful tool to make an impression!
i.e., the status symbol tag again.
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Originally Posted by AyAn! View Post
Its mostly marketing gimmick,nothing else.
I'm starting to believe it.
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Originally Posted by Anand123 View Post
There cant be a common definition for lifestyle vehicles. Its subjective and differs from one person to another. Its the way one look at a car. I may treat a Forester as a LSV but for some others it would be just another luxury car.
Exactly what I said when I asked...
Quote:
Sudev owns a GV and he uses it for driving to work daily. He also uses it to have fun off-road. So his GV would not be an LSV. But if I buy and park the same GV to ONLY take out during off-road trips, it is my LSV. Do I understand this correctly? If so, is the GV an LSV or not?
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Originally Posted by ampere View Post
I think the term "Lifestyle vehicle" is a Media Jargon; A mere buzzword.
One more opinion that says an LSV in India is just so much hot air and marketing blurb.
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Originally Posted by GTO View Post
...an Enfield Bullet is probably the cheapest lifestyle vehicle one can buy. Ideal for long-distance touring, take participation in the many Bullet events, there's dedicated Enfield touring / activity groups etc....in a way, the following is cult-like.
So cult cars can be considered as LSVs - esp. those that have dedicated events, clubs and activity groups etc. - the Scorpio for one, the Gypsy, Fiat, now even the Swift joins in.
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Originally Posted by Guna View Post
What about a bicycle?
Valid question - Firefox has all the clubs, activities and events to support it. So a Firefox is a LSV, but a Hero is not?
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Originally Posted by Guna View Post
Yeti, when launched will be a true lifestyle vehicle. It is radical and would be pricy enough so that it would not become a mainstream.
Once again, the same opinion comes round - an expensive low-selling vehicle is considered to be an LSV in India!
Quote:
Originally Posted by adisag View Post
The Maruti Van:
...I do realise that in today's context this could never work (No AC, Poor Suspension, Poor Stability, Weak Engine etc. etc..); But inspite of all this i still dream of owning a Van - "My Ultimate Lifestyle Vehicle"
Is this something to do with the reverse status symbol?
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Originally Posted by vivekgk View Post
I think that lifestyle vehicles are those that project a different image than mainstream vehicles. A hatch, sedan or SUV is not a lifestyle vehicle, because they're mainstream, which solely serve the purpose of transportation from A to B. To me, a lifestyle vehicle is something that is extraordinary, while being practical at the same time. A lifestyle vehicle has to be fun in some way. It has to enhance your daily life.
That's not what is the general concensus being put forward - a Gypsy or Bullet or Forester is as much a mainstream vehicle as whichever car you might want to mark as extraordinary, while being practical. Would you like to specify any particular vehicle you have in mind?

To quickly recap on the ongoing discussions, here are a few thoughts:
  1. An LSV, to some, is an off-roader - from Gypsy to Forester to Fortuner to LR/Rangie, and of course, the Thar, they're all LSVs.
  2. Ideally, the LSV is meant to be ONLY a weekend recreation / out-of-town pleasure travel vehicle, and not one to be used for daily commutes. Therefore, one man's daily commuter would be another man's LSV.
  3. To some, an LSV is what makes good coffee-table / party conversation. It's a (usually) frighteningly expensive niche car, like the Fiat 500, or a rare car in the country, like a 911 / Ferrari California, or even a Bentley. Others call it a status symbol.
  4. Cars and their manufacturers which have clubs and events to their credit, such as the Bullet, Gypsy or M&M vehicles, can be considered LSVs. Even bicycles can be considered in this category, but only some makes like the Firefox.
  5. LSVs in India are more about pretend, and less about actual usage - a Xenon / Getaway tells the world that I go camping on weekends, though I may not even own a tent. Aping the West without any actual pleasure.
  6. An RV / motorhome / caravan - hardly exists in India. And finally:
  7. The term "lifestyle vehicle" is a marketing gimmick, to entice people to dream, and buy a car with their eyes closed - if the buyer took a long hard look at that vehicle without dreaming, he wouldn't have bought it in the first place.
So is there really nothing that can be called a true lifestyle vehicle in India?

Or are there different categories of LSVs? If so, how would you want to categorize them?

Last edited by SS-Traveller : 24th May 2010 at 22:51.
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Old 24th May 2010, 22:55   #26
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I think the term ‘lifestyle vehicles’ needs to be looked at in a broader perspective. It need not be limited only to expensive and rare vehicles. If it were, then the term ‘lifestyle’ will be synonymous with just ‘rich lifestyle’. In reality, lifestyle need not be just reach; it can be reach, average, and also poor. As they say, ‘to each his own’, is true for lifestyle as well.

Every vehicle portrays the personality (or lifestyle, to some extent) of the owner. In this sense, in every price category or vehicle category (hatch, sedan, SUV) some vehicles portray a little different personality (or lifestyle) than the average person (please note: I am not using the term average in demeaning sense, but purely statistical sense. Average does not necessarily mean ordinary). These vehicles could be termed as ‘lifestyle vehicles’, irrespective of the category or price bracket.

By this definition, I think the cheapest lifestyle vehicle available today is a used Fiat Adventure. Too bad Fiat discontinued this. Had they kept selling this model, this would have been the best LSV one could buy within "affordable" price limits. Also, Ford Fusion could classify as a LSV among cars priced towards the lower end of the spectrum.

Towards the higher end of the price spectrum, there would be cars already mentioned here (Forester etc.). Of course, at the very high end of the price spectrum, we would have Land Rovers and Range Rovers as LSVs.

Sports Cars: Here, things could be different and I feel every sports car is a LSV by definition because it portrays the “sporty” lifestyle and the owner typically chooses it over many other “non-sporty” sedans available at the same price range.

Just my personal thoughts!

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Old 24th May 2010, 23:05   #27
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The bigger the better, seems to be the overriding theme for a status symbol car.
The panchayat prez. has a Sumo, the corporator a Scorpio, the MLA a Ford Endeavour and the big-time politician a Land Cruiser. The rarer it is, more it is in want. There is a hierarchy here.

On a different plane, the Rs 200 air filter that you put in your Scorpio costs 2000 in your Land Cruiser, if not more.

The more expensive the SUV or life style car, the closer it is on performance to humbler cousins but the lits of goodies goes on increasing.
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Old 24th May 2010, 23:32   #28
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SS-Traveller View Post
So what you mean to say is, a lifestyle vehicle in India is that type of vehicle which is exclusively used in the Western countries as a LSV,

but may be used in India as even a cargo carrier! So promoting a vehicle as a LSV in India may not necessarily sell that vehicle because at least some are NOT used in the way the manufacturer proposes.
Lets take a look at this

Lifestyle Vehicles in India: What are these? Your opinions please.-picture30.jpg

A normal weekend recreation of a normal American family taken on a normal weekend and guess what, the vehicle used is a normal "pickup truck" for them. I (representing we) look at this and say "wow, Gods live this way, this is heavenly."

Then I see the Tata Xenon Ad and an Idea clicks, maybe if I get the Xenon, others are going to perceive me to have this sort of a Godly life. This pickup will add style to my life (hence Lifestyle). Automatic Recognition of Accomplishment.

But then, where is my waterbody? where is my boat? Where is my ATV? Leave all this, go camping one night come back with thousand mosquito bites and smelling like a rat due to the heat. So desi GMC then starts doing the poultry duty which is what a pickup truck is intended to do.


Quote:
Originally Posted by SS-Traveller View Post
LSVs in India are more about pretend, and less about actual usage - a Xenon / Getaway tells the world that I go camping on weekends, though I may not even own a tent. Aping the West without any actual pleasure.
  1. An RV / motorhome / caravan - hardly exists in India. And finally:
  2. The term "lifestyle vehicle" is a marketing gimmick, to entice people to dream, and buy a car with their eyes closed - if the buyer took a long hard look at that vehicle without dreaming, he wouldn't have bought it in the first place.
I remember the Wagon R ad with Canoe and bicycles in it. Havent seen a single Wagon R being used that way.

One of my training Guru's once said, most people these days, base their purchase decisions on a particular product, on how good others will perceive them, if they are seen to have acquired a certain product. Actual need is secondary. Hence the added stress is put on marketing products that will make the purchaser look good, uber cool etc.

I am sure there are some genuine users of the Xenon who need it for what it is, a pickup truck (That also happens to look too handsome)

Last edited by 1100D : 24th May 2010 at 23:40.
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Old 25th May 2010, 00:18   #29
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Dear all - IMHO, a lifestyle vehicle is one which compliments its user in totality. "Lifestyle" may vary from person to person. This thread has everything from the "Ferrari California" to the "Maruti Van" mentioned as a lifestyle vehicles. Both persons who have posted their thoughts are correct in their own personal way.

So, let me share / post my thoughts - I "had" a black Scorpio. Very good, very fast. I went all over the places I wanted to go, it did everything I wanted it to do, but for me, somehow, it was not my "lifestyle vehicle". I used it for 2 and a half years without any problem, but for me it was not my "lifestyle vehicle". Why? Looking back today and thinking, the only answer that comes to my mind is that there is no answer. It just happened to be so! So, I sold it. I got a very good price for it also.

So, I decided to get myself my "lifestyle vehicle". As it had to be an M&M vehicle, (obviously) I did not vacillate for even a second. I straightaway bought a brown Bolero Storm (VLX). I got it because for me, in my eyes, it is my "lifestyle vehicle". So, what happened here? Again, looking back and thinking, the only answer that comes to my mind is that - "here is an MUV that is lithe, compact, poised, very very fast (obviously I cannot help myself - I just have go and to do things to it which others would not even know), and it compliments my lifestyle need of a "no-nonsense, fast-track, result-oriented" vehicle perfectly. Colour is very very important here. Everybody in my family including the "home minister" (ahem!) wanted a burgandy red Bolero but for me burgandy red Bolero was not my lifestyle vehicle as they are a dime a dozen out there. It had to be a brown Bolero only. So, you will ask - "if there was no brown Bolero, what would you have done? Simple - "I would not have bought it". These are the "CUSTOMER'S LATENT DESIRES" that need to be gently probed at the point of sale by salespersons to achieve as close to 100% hit rate on sales conversions as possible. Its been only 3 days since I got my brown Bolero and I am already looking forward to parking it in the foyer of a 5 star hotel and nonchalantly walking into the lobby.

I have done 90% of what I exactly wanted in my Bolero so it looks, feels and runs different from any street Bolero but I still have to do that 10%. What is that 10%? Size, material, font and location of the number plates. "I want my rear number plate below the tail gate handle. Period". For me, having the number plate "exactly as I want it" is an important part of my "lifestyle vehicle". My number plate has to be in aluminium. It has to be sheared properly. Holes must be marked with a bevel protractor, centres defined and drilled properly. It has to be white powder coated. It has to be attached by M6 fasteners. The font has to be rectangular. There must be 2 vertical black bands running down its sides.

When I stand at a traffic signal in my Bolero, my confidence level in myself is much more than what it used to be in my Scorpio.

Once again, let me remind you that my Scorpio was a brilliant vehicle, it ran beautifully for two and a half years but it never stirred this emotional feeling in me that my Bolero is doing now.

Now - "THAT'S WHAT I CALL A LIFESTYLE VEHICLE".

Further, I have 4 restored Fiat cars. For me they are also my "lifestyle vehicles". I spend endless hours of my time, effort and money into restoring these beautiful cars to pristine condition. Why? To leisurely drive down the left lane on Mumbai's famous Marine Drive at 50 kmph on a Saturday night! Its worth it.

Now - "THAT'S WHAT I CALL A LIFESTYLE VEHICLE".

It all boils down to what each individual wants, to perfectly compliment what he / she defines as "lifestyle". Its very personal.

Best regards,

Behram Dhabhar
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Old 25th May 2010, 00:20   #30
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I dont think there is a clear definition of what a lifestyle vehicle. My take is that it is something you buy to reflect your lifestyle choice while ignoring the typical aam aadmi's requirements (to an extent) like
  1. size,
  2. status symbol
  3. mileage
  4. having a boot
  5. badge snobbery
  6. resale value.
It need not necessarily be an outdorsly vehicle !!! Hey there are other types of lifestyles too. For example an SUV in the 80s and 90s was a lifestyle vehicle not anymore because everybody and his brother in law wants SUVs !!

Cars that I can think of are Jazz, Polo, Forester, imported convertible (or San), Tata Xenon, Palio adventure, Beetle, Zen Carbon, RD350, middle class person buying a pre owned W124 etc etc.

Last edited by Mpower : 25th May 2010 at 00:22.
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