[Altocumulus]

I have a January 2007 pre worshipped Vxi. Had run 60k when I bought it last year and have driven it for 13k since then. Absolutely love myself for the decision. I was initially sad to let go of my 2002 Zen Vxi for this due to rusting issues. But today I always have a big smile on my face when am on the drivers seat. I sometimes spend quite sometime just standing and admiring my car.

[nik0502]

Guys,
Add me in the list. I too have 97 Model Esteem. It was my first car. Mine is probably most abused one on team-bhp. I bought it in 2009 and it had already changed 3 hands before me and was in quite a bad shape when i got it. Running boards were rusted. I have got the running boards, Apron and few other parts on the car. Spent 22k on AC and it still does not work. But she still runs like a charm. Revs freely and i still drive it ~80KMs a day. I would never sell it.

nIk

[adneo]

Hi Guys,
A few of you like altocumulus already knows about my esteem fanaticism.everytime i drive it i wonder why maruti stopped it and replaced it with weird looking replacements like the swift and even worse the dzire.when swift drivers talk to me about drive dynamics i tell them lets see your car swallow up my entire trip lugguage and then maintain the same dynamics.
i always tell people praising maruti for the swift that you know what you have not driven the best from them if you have not driven the esteem.
i laugh my hearts out when all those costly cars wobble and brake shit scared as i attack a steep turn and accelarate out of it.
i drive a 2003 model and i have repeatedly tracked 0-100 figures between 11-12 seconds.
my dad can still enjoy a cup of tea while i drive through the horrible kolkata roads due to the individual suspension setup which cant be found in any car today below the 10lakhs range.

My dream is to come up with an Esteem Fan club and request maruti give us the same package back as a special edition so that only people who know it will buy it.
I someone can help in this regard i will truly appreciate it.

To me the Esteem looks like a fallen hero.
A legend forgotten in the heap of gimmicks and marketing.

Proud to be an EsteemHead

[RD7]

Kudos on the tribute Sid! It's like falling in love all over again, was totally floored by the way you've composed it. Off topic but going by the way you've conjured it, I'm guessing you must have some charming skills with the fairer sex

I own a 2006 Esteem Vxi and boy is it a joy to drive! In my daily commute from Palm beach road to Ballard Estate, there are hardly any cars that get past me. Generally too given my enthusiastic driving nature there are only a few that do. Have touched expressway top speeds of 165, though at this point it feels like something will fall out of the car . Have heard stories of people touching 177 but yet to achieve that milestone. Maybe with the new Michelin shoes (got them fitted y'day) after the Yokos she should be able to do that! (The stock JKs were at best forgettable). But a consistent 130 is a stable ride, the speed I usually cruise on the expressway. She has served well on the innumerable drives from Mumbai to Goa, once we've made it to Goa in 7.5 hours from Vashi.

My Esteem has done 82K in the 7.5 yrs that she has been with me and has always been a delight for the enthusiastic driver in me. The workshop guys always make a mention that I've maintained the car in impeccable condition. Though recently on a family outstation drive I felt that the car is running out of breath on the highway.

Though I'm looking out for a new ride, my esteem will always stay with me as I have no plans to sell her as she is a ride worth keeping and also because my mom likes her a lot and is strictly against selling her.

I was going through the various reviews of diesel C sedans that I am contemplating viz. City, Verna, Vento & Rapid and thought of checking an Esteem review is when I stumbled upon this tribute through a really long term ownership review by benzinblut. Thoroughly enjoyed the well scripted articles put up by both benzinblut and Sid. They are more sweet because you've owned this piece of beauty and can relate totally.

Was a treat to read and thank you for making my day!

[anand.babu]

I decided to buy a pre-owned Esteem after I sold my Octavia (pre-owned for 6 months) after seeing this thread. This one's for the keeps and I've never regretted buying this beauty!

I bought a pre-owned car to save enough money to get a brand new high-end one (preferably a VW Jetta) after 3 or 4 years. In spite of this, my Esteem is here to stay.

Recently revved in T-BHP overnight meet at Kannur:

[adneo]

Originally Posted by anand.babu

I decided to buy a pre-owned Esteem after I sold my Octavia (pre-owned for 6 months) after seeing this thread. This one's for the keeps and I've never regretted buying this beauty!

I bought a pre-owned car to save enough money to get a brand new high-end one (preferably a VW Jetta) after 3 or 4 years. In spite of this, my Esteem is here to stay.

Recently revved in T-BHP overnight meet at Kannur:

Congrats on your new acquisition! Just a small advice, the maruti esteem is famous for its rusting issue, so incase you are planning to keep it for sometime with you , try to have all the fun that you will like to have with it but on drier turfs.
Just a though that came to my mind on seeing to splashing up at Kannur.

Other than this minor niggle its a pleasure to drive the Esteem.
Recently my dad who is otherwise a sedate driver and one of those many who used to scream and howl while i was at the wheel, went for a highway trip and even he was astonished to the point that he made a post on my facebook wall citing that he now knows and realises why i am crazy about this car.He was so blown away that he made the following comment and i quote "AMAZING!! Our 13 years old horse was out pacing newer generation cars like the SX4 and Swift and matching up with Citys and Innovas!!!".

Enjoy the bliss of driving the true drivers' sedan from Maruti.

[anand.babu]

Originally Posted by adneo

Congrats on your new acquisition! Just a small advice, the maruti esteem is famous for its rusting issue, so incase you are planning to keep it for sometime with you , try to have all the fun that you will like to have with it but on drier turfs.
Just a though that came to my mind on seeing to splashing up at Kannur.

Thanks! I decided not to drive in the beach but couldn't resist after seeing other cars splashing. I already gave the car to MASS and asked the SA to check if I need an anti-rust coating.

[esteem_lover]

Originally Posted by RD7

Have touched expressway top speeds of 165, though at this point it feels like something will fall out of the car . Have heard stories of people touching 177 but yet to achieve that milestone. Maybe with the new Michelin shoes (got them fitted y'day) after the Yokos she should be able to do that! (The stock JKs were at best forgettable).

A stock esteem's top speed is 165kmph on the odo, but believe me she gets there faster with just the 2nd and 3rd gears. Wider tyres will only slow her down but will give better grip.

[RD7]

Originally Posted by esteem_lover

A stock esteem's top speed is 165kmph on the odo, but believe me she gets there faster with just the 2nd and 3rd gears. Wider tyres will only slow her down but will give better grip.

Agree on that esteem_lover, have reached 100 on 2nd pretty quick (Don't do that often but yes have done that). The Michelin XM2 tyres are the same 175/70 R13 but they perform far better than the Yokos. Now 140 feels like a breeze, the car is fully planted on these speeds and as the tyre noise is considerably reduced it feels much smoother. Not yet tested top speeds on the Expressway but am sure will breach the 165 mark soon

[Soham Sen]

Originally Posted by sidindica

[center]THE MARUTI ESTEEM.
A BLOCKBUSTER WITH 18 YEARS OF UNINTERRUPTED SUCCESS.

Creating history in the Indian automobile history as the longest running nameplate in a modern production sedan.

Indeed the esteem has been the best 1300cc car in its segment with an excellent mileage of almost 20km/litre on highways. I am in love with my esteem. Even today after MUL stopped the production of this beauty, lakhs of esteems are seen on roads. Simply because this is one of India's most loved cars. The way the engine purrs out a smooth acceleration from under the hood is amazing. I'd prefer to use my one till I die. Long live Esteem!

[GTO]

Saw an Esteem after the longest time. Sure brought back a lot of memories. That green tint on the windscreen which differentiated the real Esteems from the fakes (click high-res version of this pic), the small 1.3L badge....it truly was a special car in the mid-90s. All 65 BHP of it . I remember we had shortlisted the slow Tata Sierra (only non-turbo at the time) and the Esteem. One spin in a relative's Esteem and I was sold. It was fast for its time. We'd speak of the Esteem then the same way we do of an Octavia 1.8 TSI today.

[rr_zen]

Originally Posted by GTO

Saw an Esteem after the longest time. Sure brought back a lot of memories. That green tint on the windscreen which differentiated the real Esteems from the fakes (click high-res version of this pic), the small 1.3L badge....it truly was a special car in the mid-90s. All 65 BHP of it . I remember we had shortlisted the slow Tata Sierra (only non-turbo at the time) and the Esteem. One spin in a relative's Esteem and I was sold. It was fast for its time. We'd speak of the Esteem then the same way we do of an Octavia 1.8 TSI today.

An apt time to bring up the Esteem topic when I just got my 14 year old work horse after giving it its much wanted mid-life makeover. Will post a long term ownership review someday soon.

Meanwhile, a few random pics I took when the beauty came home after the rejuvenation. The 1.3L badge is still intact as it was on day one. The four doors and roof still have the original factory paint.

[Nissan1180]

Originally Posted by rr_zen

An apt time to bring up the Esteem topic when I just got my 14 year old work horse after giving it its much wanted mid-life makeover. Will post a long term ownership review someday soon.

The car looks wonderful. Somehow, the Esteem's design was so proportionate. yes, it looks old in this age of projector headlamps and DRLs, but it has a lot of elegance. I sometimes wish this trend of making cars look proportionate and not outrageous returns.

My grandmother's Esteem in Kolkata will be 15 this September. It has been a very trouble free car. The average maintenance expense per year is still around 5000 INR. Even today, for someone looking for an inexpensive first car, an used Esteem makes a lot of sense. Hopefully, someday we'll see a revival of the Esteem brand (just like the Baleno) so that the soul lives on. The Esteem was so much more desirable than the Dzire.

[chiranjitp]

I found a photo of Esteem's speedometer on OLX. Just look at the RPM reading w.r.t the speed, the Esteem surely had a tall gearing. Forget petrol cars, many diesel cars have shorter gearing than the Esteem, our Punto used to do 120 kmph @ 3000 rpm in 5th gear. I believe driving the Esteem in the early 00s must have been some experience.



Source: olx.in

[vigsom]

Originally Posted by chiranjitp

I believe driving the Esteem in the early 00s must have been some experience.

It sure was.

I owned one of the first lot non power steering Esteems (the one with the matte black painted tappet cover and NTN axles).

My best car till date with an unparalleled driver experience plus my best mileage figures (19.8kmpl on NH8 Surat-Baroda-Surat).