[redeff]

So. What is love? What is it that makes our heart tick? Why do we do the things we do when we do them?

The answers to some of these questions would be so covered up in the Mumbo Jumbo that a lot of people give a lot of different names to. Maybe rightly so. But for me , for love, I have her.

So what do we look for in a companion? What is it that is required for a long term relationship? Is it possible that the honeymoon period Lasts even after a year? Is it possible to fall in love at the first sight ? Every time when you set your eyes on her?

And does a year change anything? Does a year count as long term?


Ladies and Gentlemen, I give to you. Nenya.

[redeff]

There are times when we look back upon certain small things that blow up into stories. Stories of Epic proportions. There are tales of stories, stories told of courage, Strength, Morality. Stories of Endearing love. And we find them in various magnitudes in our lives. We live them through as our mind plays them. Stories, some of which Are etched in the back of our head.


31st March 2009. That's the day she first came home. It's been a year, two months and a few days. She's my pillar of happiness and the pinnacle of what people in normal terms term as exuberance. She is my Nenya.


The saga however badly written can be found here :_

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/test-drives-initial-ownership-reports/54345-audi-a4-2-0-tdi-edit-mid-year-update-page-14-a.html

[VLOCT]

Nice looking car there, redeff. Cheers.

[redeff]

Some Vital Information-

Run till date Aprox 9.5k Km.

Mileage in City ( Avg ) ( Trip Meter ) - around 10 -11 depending on driving style.

Highway driving - Heavy foot - 10 - 13. ( Variable speeds )


Highway driving ( cruising with cruise control at around 120 - 140 kmh ) - 15 KMPL.


Car does Mumbai - Pune trips ( Inculding local Pune commuting ) twice on approximately one tank full of diesel comfortably.

[Utopian]

Congrats red for having tamed the Audi. The Nenya looks so good from every angle.
Those daytime LEDs just take my breath away every time I see them.
Happy mile crunching.

[Live To Jive]

So how's the car doing? Has Audi come up with a all inclusive maintenance plan?

[ST7677]

How is it holding up? Any updates on this one?

[redeff]

"This is Nenya, the Ring of Adamant, and I am its keeper." - Galadriel (LORT - Fellowship of the Ring)

Nenya, the ring of preservation, the ring that preserved the forest of Lothlórien and kept it beautiful even in the time of great darkness.

Nenya, the Car that makes the world beautiful everytime I see her. The Car that helps my mom sleep when my dad turns up post midnight from his highway runs for work (as opposed to staying up when he did the same journey in our beloved Accent). Yes, Nenya is the Car of the Adamant, the car that has brought us much peace. A special car, with a special place in our heart.


What price do you put on love? Does Beauty really run more than skin deep? Do you choose your companion based upon her looks alone? Her energy levels? The way she smoothens out your path? For all these are just that, superficial. When you spend that much on a car, what matters is how she makes you feel. And there year and more down the line, I am still smitten.

"But Redeff the BMWs arn't they more fun to drive?"
"But Redeff, a Merc is a merc! And the Ride quality!"
"But Redeff, you might as well have got a Superb for its gives you so much more!"
"The Passat Redeff!! The Passat!!"
"142 BHP! And a CVT, with a FWD! For that price? Why buy a glorified VW Golf GTI?"



Move over naysayers, you know not what this car has done to me. You may be a petrol head, a diesel head, maybe the RPM of the engine makes your head spin, but then, if I choose a luxo car based on convenience, features et all, I'd be a poor man indeed!

The Bull comes with a cracker of an engine based on one of the hardest suspensions known to man. So does the Prancing horse. Often even ACs are optional. Do we turn them down and run to the nearest Bentley showroom then?

But a sports car and a executive luxury car? How do you compare them? They are as alike as Sheldon and Penny. How indeed do you compare them?

As the Learned Math teacher in school taught me, "Redeff, if you want to do anything at all with fractions, learn to find the LCD". And then see what you can do with figures that look nothing alike. And I did. I still suck at math though. That being said, the common denominator to ever car that in todays world costs more than a Hyndai Accent (in India) is that it is an indulgence. Why, an Alto till date is rated by my grandfather as the best car in the world. My dad doesnt quite so far, but by god! He is a believer!


An ex-president of the Philippines once said, "I'm so rich, that even I do not know how much money I have". That my dear friends according to me, is the gold standard of being rich.

So what is the Gold standard of being indulgent? What with so many cars at so many price points and features, how do you justify your indulgence? For us, this car is an indulgence. Currently every other car in our stable costs below 7L rupees. The Accent is the most expensive car in our garage (when it was purchased , 8 years back)

The moral of the story is, that you dont. When you fall in love with a woman, you forget everything. Your parents disapproval, most of her drawbacks, the societal reaction, everything. You just know that you love her and you will probably never be able to justify your choice. But if you are one of the lucky people to get her, you wont need to.

You may rant all you want of how a car half her price gives you 90% or more of her luxury. You may rant all you want about how her competitors give a better ride quality or drive. But why ? Why does this all matter when the car is not a commute for you?

Are you a car enthusiast? If yes, then you will never know what it is that I feel. For I do not seek to explain to those who treat their cars as sport what I feel about Nenya. They will not understand.

But bring one person who has felt these lines about his car and I shall direct this post to him:-

"Your the Closest to heaven, that I'll ever be; and I don't want to go home right now." - Iris (Goo Goo dolls).

The last three years with Nenya have been nothing less that a sheer pleasure. Does she turn heads? Yes.

Does she make me want to sing along loudly in sync with what I play on the ICE out of sheer Joy? Yes.

And every time I'm with her does my heart skip a beat? Yeah.

The Second year maintenance cost around 20K, the third around 22K. Touch wood, she hasn't thrown up any of her high maintenance tantrums yet and its been going quite smooth. Whatever other work has been done on her has been completely accidental, and for everything except routine maintenance, I take her to Ameya for work. She gets detailed twice a year for a price of around 2k (inside out) and comes back ready for a new round of the honey moon phase.


Oh yes, indeed though. Why did I get her? Because she makes me feel special. Because no other car made me feel that way. even today when I get into a BMW or a Benz, I still dont get that same feeling of specialness or the 'tugging onto the heartstrings' that Nenya does for me. Nor does the feature rich passat of the kingly Superb.

For when you fall in love, all that does not matter. All that matters is the two of you.

So yes, I'm coming out of the closet in the automotive world. I'm not auto enthusiasts. Im not looking for just excitement from my car, (which she does provide btw) I look for companionship. I know that every time I'm down, when i go spend time with her, she makes me feel special. The interior, the understated yet Tutonic exterior. No quirks, just a breath of fresh air. High quality construction, brilliant colour scheme.


Three years down the line, last week i took a drive down to Pune. While returning I sat in the back seat. It was night and Nenya was in her glory, glowing red from inside and a silly giggle escaped my lips. Looks like I'm still smitten. And satisfied. I have no desire to upgrade. Even if I had to buy her today, being more informed about the Jetta, the suprb and the Passat, the C and the new 3, I'd still go a woo her all over again.

And any car who does that for you my friend is a keeper. The kind of Car you take home to your parents, to your wife, to your kids. The kind of car that completes your family.

Joy maybe BMW, and the Benz may make you feel like a star. But if you want to fall in love, come home in an Audi. I do.

[n.devdath]

Originally Posted by redeff

Three years down the line, last week i took a drive down to Pune. While returning I sat in the back seat. It was night and Nenya was in her glory, glowing red from inside and a silly giggle escaped my lips. Looks like I'm still smitten. And satisfied. I have no desire to upgrade. Even if I had to buy her today, being more informed about the Jetta, the suprb and the Passat, the C and the new 3, I'd still go a woo her all over again.

And any car who does that for you my friend is a keeper. The kind of Car you take home to your parents, to your wife, to your kids. The kind of car that completes your family.

Joy maybe BMW, and the Benz may make you feel like a star. But if you want to fall in love, come home in an Audi. I do.

You are in love my friend. Pure, blissful and sublime L-O-V-E.

And with a companion so satisfying, your feelings are only natural. Enjoy the romance of a lifetime with Nenya.

OT: Are you are writer by any chance? No, seriously, you have some really commendable narration in you.

[mempheS.D]

Originally Posted by redeff

"

For when you fall in love, all that does not matter. All that matters is the two of you.

So yes, I'm coming out of the closet in the automotive world. I'm not auto enthusiasts. Im not looking for just excitement from my car, (which she does provide btw) I look for companionship. I know that every time I'm down, when i go spend time with her, she makes me feel special. The interior, the understated yet Tutonic exterior. No quirks, just a breath of fresh air. High quality construction, brilliant colour scheme.

Just like Abhay Deol says it in the movie - Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara, "You are in LOU my buoy!"

Excellent write-up. So much so that Audi can steal a few punchlines from your script.

[over.drive]

What a nicely written thread Redeff! Remember I had told you, your one thread was enough to make me go crazy about the Audi A4. It still does. Never have I read a thread or review that makes the A4 2.0 TDI look so special. Wish you many more happy years with Nenya. May the magic of love continue!

[redeff]

Thank you all! Will be taking Nenya on to Mahabaleshwar tomorrow. Will hope to take a few photos and update this thread!

[carzone]

Was on my daily journey to college. See this thread and thought of making it my commute read(I spend most of my time on THBP during my commute). Started reading the thread and the initial lines made me felt that this is something unique. By the end of my read, you had made my day brother. Never ever had I read about such deep love quoted down so beautifully. Hope your series of honeymoons keep on for years to come and the love story goes on and on for ever.Salute your writing skills. Going over again for a read... Do keep us updated and all d best for your Mahabaleshwar trip.

[redeff]

Originally Posted by over.drive

What a nicely written thread Redeff! Remember I had told you, your one thread was enough to make me go crazy about the Audi A4. It still does. Never have I read a thread or review that makes the A4 2.0 TDI look so special. Wish you many more happy years with Nenya. May the magic of love continue!

I thank you for the importance you give my opinion, it is truly humbling. That being said, everyone has a different choice and thats the way it should be. I am not trying to soft sell the A4 to anyone. I just pray that for all of us who love our cars, may god give us the power to think beyond equipment levels and BHP figures and go for the car which we fall in love with. Without trying to justify why we chose it over the other.

In an harmonious relationship, if you love someone and a third party asks you "why her and not someone else?" there are just two answers. "I love her" and "it's me who has to be with her". These are the two boxes I like to tick when I choose a car, no matter what the budget it is in. If the 5 series did that for you nothing quite like it, I am very happy for you! OFC, Nenya does have a very special place in my heart. Practicality be damned! I am a true romantic when it comes to cars! I would not marry a woman for her money, then why should I choose the car of my dreams based on her BHP rating as opposed to how she makes me feel? On the other hand my friend, you have a 530 D, a gorgeous car in her own right. I'm sure you loose your heart a little bit more every time that you nudge the throttle. And thats what matters. For me, I always found the interiors of the BMW of high quality, but lacking that "Love me baby love me" feeling. It's the engine and the handling that they do best. Even If my car is considered mediocre in those aspects, I still love it. After all, does not a parent dote upon his/her kid irrespective of what the mark sheet shows?

And as for premium cars, I still believe that they are indulgences. And if you have to justify the price tag for your indulgence, then its a wasted opportunity. True luxury is not according to me afforded by the interiors or car specifications. Luxury is being able to buy the car that ticks all the right boxes in your soul, no matter if it is over priced or not. And that car maybe a Rolls Royce, a Benz or even a Punto.

Ask any Fiat owner on this forum. They will tell you why they bought their cars. And more often or not they will tell you how they love their cars and how despite more safe options they went for the italian beauties. And that my friends, propels those car to luxury status.


Ofc, My views are all personal. ( I request the Mods to update the name of the thread to "a new three year saga" instead of a year long saga). If i come across as preachy or snooty, I apologise

[ashis89]

Hey redeff, thats a hell of a write-up. I just loved it and re-read it 3 times. I can totally connect to your feelings. I do feel the same about my vehicles(though my friends feel I am mad, I am ok with it ).

Anyways, congrats on your German beauty,Nenya. Wishing you many more happy moments with her. How about updating the thread with some latest pics, both interior and exterior?