[sid_hilldriver]

For us BHPians, cars are not merely machines. They are something more than that. This feeling of a BHPian was inherent in me since I was 2 years old.

Prologue

In the year 1996, my doctor parents were on their first posting in a Civil Hospital located in then considered remote areas of Himachal Pradesh i.e Dadahu - the town adjacent to the famous Renuka Lake(wetland site). Dadahu was a small town back then with a market hardly sprawling less than half a KM, a makeshift bus stand which saw one bus come in the morning and return in the evening and few shops but lots of trucks belonging to the local businessman and limestone mine owner who was also our landlord. My first friend in that town was Kaka - the tyre puncture shop owner. I was so excited to see him stand on the wheel paana (as they call it) while opening the tyres of trucks/bus. My dad never discouraged me and hence I would sit for hours at his shops. He was kind enough to teach me about tyre punctures and gave me proper attention which is rare for a child that small. Till I was 5, I had befriended the local drivers of the trucks and buses and they too grew fond of me. Being a humble kid from a good family in a small town makes you liked by people I suppose. As a result ladies and gentlemen, the first steering that I took hold of was the steering of the Himachal Road Transport Corporation bus which was driven by the driver ( handsome man in his 40s). Here began my passion for driving. The sheer feeling that something this big can be manoeuvred by such a simple act of steering and the respect and fame (at least in those days) that this bus driver enjoys, made me want to become a bus driver.

Cut to 1999

My parents by now had some savings and planned that they needed to get a car. So the car buying process started in the family. I thank my parents for the fact that though I was only 5, they at least showed me that they gave full respect to my opinions and choices regarding the first car of our family. Because by 5 I had tried my hand on the following -

1. Hospital ambulance ( 1998 Maruti Omni)
2. HRTC bus ( Tata 1613)
3. PWD Road Roller
4. JCB
5. TATA trucks by Walia Roadlines
6. Fire brigade
7. Information and broadcasting vehicle that came to Renuka fair for
community medicine purpose
8. Whatever that had wheels and the owner knew dad

Alternatives Considered

Maruti Gypsy

Pros :

Proven vehicle
Good 4wd
Reliability
Looks looks and looks
Maruti badge and service

Cons :

Poor on comfort
Not VFM according to mom
Effectively only a 2 seater
Cost

Daewoo Matiz

Daewoo Matiz was also a good vehicle and in our sight but since it had no dealership anywhere in Himachal and spares and service were an issue so it was dropped.

Hence Maruti 800 it had to be.

Booking and delivery experience

Dad and I traveled to Shimla from Dadahu (approx 140kms) with a friend of dad from Dadahu and went straight to Goyal Motors Shimla. I still remember the smell of new cars. We were handled by the executive and told that Maruti 800 now comes as a facelift(Type 3). One was parked right there in the showroom. We liked it in first glance and booked one Maruti 800 Standard in white colour by making a payment of Rs. 5000 by cheque. We happily returned to Dadahu the same day by evening.

The total cost was around Rs. 1,88,000 (Approx).
Loan amount : Rs. 80,000.

I had joined school now but was always desperate for our car to be. In April first week, we received a call on our landline that our car has arrived at the showroom. We were all so excited. Kids of today won't understand the excitement level for these things we used to have back then in the 90s.
We decided that Dad alone will go and bring the car home. And so did he.

Next day, the car was home finally
A pristine white Maruti 800, with some accessories fitted by the showroom which were contemporary viz white seat covers, an additional Beads cover for the driver seat, an acupuncture type steering wheel cover, a Sony cassette player, Lord Ganesha idol, speakers(I don't remember the brand) and wheel covers. The smell of the minimal but new upholstery is still a fresh memory.

I was so excited and was glued to the car all day. People from the vicinity came to congratulate and see the car. Time flies by and this April she will turn 20. She has served us flawlessly.

Likes

Maruti's trust
Sober looks
Fuel efficiency
Price
High resale value
Service network and spares availability

Dislikes

Space
Ride quality
High-speed stability
Brakes
Weak blower

Factfile

Number of kms at the time of writing this review

89000 Kms.
Doctor driven cars have this low mileage you see.

Usage pattern

Now we have a 2012 Dzire Vxi for outstation travel. So Maruti 800 is used only in local Shimla city which is full of inclines, declines and traffic. Roughy 10 -20 Kms a day. But she is the best for hilly city traffic like that of Shimla. Additionally, the only parts that suffer wear and tear are the Clutch plate because of the stop and go traffic on inclines. That too is pretty cheap at Rs.90x.00.

Safety & related equipment

Just the seat belts and mata ki chunri. Back then we didn't have the sense of a safe cars per se. Isn't it ? I mean the notion of a safe car was a safely driven car. Period!

Exterior styling & design

Good front fascia which was such an apt facelift(unlike today's facelifts) from the previous gen M800. Those uniformly shaped headlamps along with nicely aligned parking lights. The light assembly was so perfect both in front and rear. It looks fresh till date and doesn't seem to be out of fashion. The indicators on the fenders were oval in shape and were my personal favorite. It was an upgrade from the Omni type side indicators which looked crude. The fenders and doors were good but nothing to be talked about.

Ever wonder how these truck and bus walas know their vehicle dimensions inch to inch? Its because these trucks and buses are flat on all sides with no part protruding outwards. Same is the case with Old gen Marutis viz 800, alto, omni, gypsy etc. Simple and sober exteriors which is perfect for city traffic.

Overall build quality, fit & finish, paint quality and panel gaps

Build quality was not good to touch but best to endure the test of time. Nothing has fallen apart till date. Also, the fit is good but the finish isn't as the paint has taken a toll due to prolonged outdoor parking. She has seen my seasons parked in sun, snow, rain etc. Hence she had to be repainted and now thankfully we have our own house with covered parking (a luxury in hills)

Panel gaps are evident but weren't criteria back then in the 90s.

Wheels & tyres

Came with stock steel rims and OME tires 145/70 R12.
But I have now upgraded to Neowheels Rally 13" alloy wheels with tires from Dunlop - 155/65 R13.





Interior design & quality

Interior is bare basic. Everything is in reach. Though there is not much to reach for. You can unlock all four doors sitting in the driver's seat.
Non-retracting seat belts were a pain if left out and would fall out sometimes when opening the door. The handbrake, blower, choke, glovebox are all in driver's easy reach and are apt for a car if this size. Or maybe I have grown comfortable with it.
For quality, I would rate it 6/10.

Interior space & comfort

Space is not much but adequate for 4 mid-sized individuals. Comfort is good for hills at least as there is less body roll if driven at sober speeds. Although leaf spring suspension setup does make it a bumpy ride if traveling solo. But with three to four occupants, it smoothens up. I am planning to go for a Dr. Nano leaf springs when I have the moolah. Sometimes, spending Rs. 11K for leaf springs on a car whose IDV is Rs.38000 doesn't seem to make sense. But, as all BHPians know, emotions don't do the maths !! Fellows, do enlighten me on the leaf springs.

Driving position

I am 5.6 feet for reference and the driving position is perfect for me. Its better than the Swift. Only thing I drove with a better driving position was a New Gen Mahindra Scorpio. But for tall individuals like Dad who is 6 feet tall, it becomes a bit of an issue. Also, sometimes the gear lever touches the co driver's leg while shifting to 1st and 2nd gear. But overall, you get a good view of the road and your vehicle. Large front and read windshields are an added advantage along with sleek A-pillars.

Visibility & size of mirrors

Poor visibility on ORVM and even poorer quality.Monkeys in Shimla are too fond of 800's ORVMs because they are easily breakable. The good thing is, you don't need ORVM in a Maruti 800. IRVM suffices. IRVM visibility is top notch mostly because of the large rear windshield.

Air conditioner cooling & effectiveness
N/A

Engine performance & driveability in the city

Maruti 800 is not for enthusiastic driving. But it serves the purpose. With a full load, it does struggle a bit at times but it is still a bliss to drive in the city especially in the hills. In decline traffic, you can crawl while the engine is off as it has manual brakes. Also, it has powerful 2nd gear which doesn't want you to always be in the first gear. It is compact and very easily maneuverable in the city. In our state, Maruti 800 enjoys a huge fan following as the local people here believe in the saying that 'Jahan Gypsy jaati hai wahan 800 toh jaa hi sakti hai' . Maruti 800 has truly made a place in people's hearts not because they can't afford other cars but because it has made people believe that it can reach their apple orchard in one piece.

Engine performance & driveability on the highway

This car is simply not meant for the highways of today. It worries you once you cross 60 KMPH. Also, wind from high speed overtaking SUVs make it unstable too.

Overall opinion on the engine

A simple no-nonsense engine with service and spares in every nook and corner of the country. I hardly get a bill of more than 2000 ever even on major servicing.

Fuel efficiency:

City: 12-14KMPL
Highway: 16 -18 KMPL

Steering

Simple Rack and pinion steering. Good feedback and perfect size. Perfect turning radius.

Braking

Disc brakes at front and Drum brakes at rear. Poor braking. Need engine braking in wet conditions.

Niggles, problems or part replacements

This vehicle has not run much but has still aged with time. So it has seen the replacement of the following:

Wiper assembly
Distributor
Alternator Servicing
Starter service ( the carbons inside the starter had worn down with use)
Petrol tank
Door glass assembly of all 4 doors
Front bumper

Cost of upkeep & maintenance

Services are done annually each January by our local trusted shop.Service cost is an average 1200-1400 per year.

We as a family plan to keep it with us for a long time. It is one such vehicle that taught Dad, me and India to drive.

I will now let the pics do some talking.

P.S: Mods please forgive and correct me for any mistakes made in penning
down the review.

Presenting our 1999 Maruti 800 (Std)









With her sibling


Pee Ka Boooo


Meanwhile, it snowed in Shimla






View from my bedroom


Thats all folks!

[GTO]

Thread moved from the Assembly Line to the Long-Term Ownership Section. Thanks for sharing!

Amazing writing style, man . This thread is going to our homepage.

[vnabhi]

Awesome review! Feel so nostalgic. I had one for 12 years, before upgrading to a WagonR.

Being my first car, I have strong emotions about the M800. I agree in toto with all your points about the car. I am sure it is a bliss to drive on steep curves, especially with its strong 2nd gear. And absolutely zero body roll!

I thought i was one of the few on this forum that has a 17.5 year old car (WagonR), but you've beaten me to it! Congrats and keep updating this thread. Wish you many more happy miles on it.

[Varun_HexaGuy]

Hey man,
That's a wonderful writeup on the car. This thread is a reflection of your love towards your car. This car has a great history of setting the country on wheels. We also were fortunate enough to own one. A 1996 Maruti 800 in Navy Blue which was bought used by my dad when I was born. I owe my first ride as a baby passenger to this one. Then the replacement of this one was a Fiat Uno which arrived too early to replace this beauty.

Then, another 1996 800 in White happened to enter our family as a beater. I've grown up alongside this thing. Finally, she bid adieu to us in 2012 while we got a people mover home (A Maruti Ertiga).

I have a very bad history of draining this car's battery. As a kid of 5-6 years, all I did was switch between cars (Uno and M800), listen to some music and enjoy that feeling of driving without actually driving! My first love was the Uno yet I used to drive more the 800 just because I could reach all the pedals in the 800 when I was a kid. As a result, managed to drain the Uno's battery twice and 800's battery a lot of times (lost the count ).

Now that I recollect my childhood days, it feels so nostalgic and every bit spent with these machines has etched into my memory that I can't thank these cars of the yesteryear enough!

Treasure this car man, this car is a bunch of memories.


Varun

[jaunthead]

Wonderful writeup dude! "Just the seat belts and mata ki chunri." - this cracked me up. .
After reading your ownership I miss my family's M800 from 98. When it was brought home, I spent enormous amounts of time in and around it and served us well. Unfortunately that car had to be scrapped a few years back. Thanks for sharing this.

[aabhimanyu04]

Wow, its so good to read your review on this little monster. We also drive a similar model 800 back home alongside a 2015 Swift Dzire Vxi. While the 800 is for bullock cart duties, the DZire is for summers where AC is a must in Patna ( my home town).
I absolutely love the 800 for the abilities it has in terms of wading through packed small city traffic with ease.
I am running my 800 on stock wheels, do you think upgrading to alloys will make my life easier in any way?

[yogeshsom29]

Wow, this car is like the Amol Palekar's Golmaal movie, legendary stuff.

My car ownership journey also started with this baby & it has presented us with countless smiles & parted with tonnes of pleasant memories.

Awesome review & I must say that you have a flair of writing buddy; it was like story showing

[arjab]

Beautifully written. And lovely photographs as well.
A Maruti 800, if maintained well will last you years. The robustness of this simple car is unbeknownst to many. I speak from personal experience as I have a Type 1 carb fed 800, model year 1988. And she still runs sweetly having covered north of 235,000 kms. Engine still stock. Only the valves and valve springs were changed at 133,000 kms.
Take care, drive safe and never let go of your Little Japanese gal. She'll never let you down.

[bullrun87]

The 800 can truly be a blessing in narrow shimla roads. Excellent writeup by the way, you truly love your car.
By the way it seems we are neighbours, from your pictures I can see that we live in the same colony . Do get in touch sometime.

[sid_hilldriver]

Originally Posted by GTO

Amazing writing style, man . This thread is going to our homepage.

Thank you so much for the kind words GTO saab. It's my first write up, still learning and still trying to match up with Team-BHP standards. I never thought that my first writeup could make it to the homepage though. This is motivating.

Originally Posted by vnabhi

I thought i was one of the few on this forum that has a 17.5 year old car (WagonR), but you've beaten me to it! Congrats and keep updating this thread. Wish you many more happy miles on it.

Thank you Sir. I am a keeper. Like those Discovery/Nat Geo crew/people with those capable Land Cruisers that they use in African jungles. That's why I dream of owning a pre owned Fortuner and keep it till it outlasts me. Yes, I shall keep updating.

Originally Posted by jaunthead

Wonderful writeup dude! "Just the seat belts and mata ki chunri." - this cracked me up.

It's funny because its true. Thanks for the appreciation.

Originally Posted by aabhimanyu04

I am running my 800 on stock wheels, do you think upgrading to alloys will make my life easier in any way?

Well, that depends on what about your car is making your life difficult presently. IMHO, alloy wheels are more of a cosmetic upgrade than a real upgrade in M800.

Originally Posted by yogeshsom29

Awesome review & I must say that you have a flair of writing buddy; it was like story showing

A compliment on 'writing' that too from a Mumbaikar. Film industry by any chance? Thank you sir.

[SoumenD]

Originally Posted by sid_hilldriver

...It is one such vehicle that taught Dad, me and India to drive...

Indeed, specially the 80s/90s kids did learn driving on this one including myself. I remember back in 2002 , my uncle taught me driving on the 2000 model Maruti 800. Back then it even had a snob value.

Originally Posted by sid_hilldriver

View from my bedroom
Attachment 1840575

Damn!!! Only yesterday another BHPian(AdityaDeane) posted about his Nano with such lovely pictures (Tata Nano Twist XT: 4-year ownership report)and now again you just added some fuel to the fire.


Wish you many more miles with the wonderful car.

[ringoism]

Those particular alloys really suit the car well - a very good choice.

I'm 6'2" for reference, find them plenty comfortable enough to sit in / drive - have manhandled another white H.P. M800 on a couple of outstation trips in the hills - I think they're great fun to drive enthusiastically. You really sit down low in them like one would in a sports car, and they're just so light / nimble / toss-able, good enough grip and very little body-roll. I suppose the rarer 12-valve 5-speed could be a bit of an upgrade, but three-bangers are always going to be a little rough anyway, and whatever, just a great driving experience overall, and so cheap and easy to own / maintain.

I should probably think of getting one for my wife to drive around locally... but probably would rather get something more highway-worthy at this point, for double-duty.

-Eric

[ron_9191]

There isn't much a man can explain his love for such a simple little car in a world where people are already having autonomous cars. Fantastic write-up mate!

I have a beautiful 5-speed Moonbeam silver car that I restored completely 2 years ago. You inspire me to write about my journey with it.

[maverick.munish]

Shimla and Maruti 800's have a long long association. Make no mistake , the car is more than capable of negotiating all that Shimla can throw at it -- Snow, rains and those high inclines. (Especially the High Court to Bemloe climb) I can vouch for that for sure.
We for one had a Aug-1998 model that served us well for over 17 years.
With no one around to drive my father gave it away to one of our knowns who uses it till this very day though in the rather sombre roads of Hamirpur.

[coolmel]

Cheers for sharing this Sid! Oh man it brought back fondest of memories from 98 when I had begun driving. Seat belts and Mata ki chunri...lol ek number bro! I vividly remember the start up sound.