[rosh_aveo1.4]

Hey hey...lovely thread! Here's mine

1. Nissan Sunny: As GTO said, the beater car. Take it to the office, take it for long trips or short trips. It doesn't matter where since it's a diesel with good mileage (and one of the only good mileage car we ever had all these years). Reliable as anything and I'm sure it'll soldier on. And nope, treat it with respect and take it slow unless its required to overtake a vehicle in a straight line and that's fine due to the lovely tractable engine but nothing else beyond that. The steering and gear changes are horrible though.

2. Honda Civic automatic: The fun car at home but still not rash with it. Treat her carefully but as you said, take the long road since it's way more fun to drive and responsive. But this is used during weekends mainly and with family and yes, part of it due to the low mileage (6 or 7 kmpl) but when you drive, you just forget that and totally enjoy the car! What I totally love is the amazing small steering. It's so communicative (next to the Fiesta but never tried the Linea). Only hate the rear suspension which is too soft for a car of this caliber.

3. Old Honda City automatic: Bought it as a 'training' car for my dad and wife. Dad has progressed to the Civic and wife still learning it. But I take it when I want to combine fun driving + total disregard of the road conditions. I mean this is THE beater car. Despite that, it's really fun to drive with it's Go Kart like feel and I usually drive it alone. I still love the old kick in the back when the torque convertor gear changes and the old tech hydraulic steering is still fun. Wife want to upgrade to the Arrow shaped city (just before the current one) but I'm too reluctant to let this go since it's mechanically simpler and easier to maintain than even the Sunny.

[PrideRed]

I have 3 cars and 2 scooters.

1. VW Vento TDI -The Attack:
mileAge: ~50K (on ODO).
DOB: Jan 2012.
Complexion: White
Activates the race mode in me. Quick Gearshifts, floor the accelerator, that push back feeling, yell from co-passengers, a typical Vento drive. This is one powerful machine can give many cars a segment above run for their money. It is very comfortable as well but again if number occupants is limited to 4. Everyone in the family like to travel in the care except my wife who feels nauseated at times.

2. Ford Ecosport TDCi-The Midfield:
mileAge: ~30K (on ODO)
DOB: Sep 2013
Complexion: White
Get me some mud, throw some road humps and get me some twisties. This is what I feel when I drive Ecosport. The most comfortable car to drive in Bangalore/any other city. The first choice when the drive has bad road or no roads. While the front seat is comfortable, rear bench is not that comfortable. Everyone like to travel in the car except my Mom who complains about slightly uncomfortable rear bench.

3. Toyota Innova D4D-The Defense:
mileAge: ~1.5lac (on ODO)
DOB: Jan 2008
Complexion: Silver
Gonna take its own time to reach the destination, massive size mean headache in city, the most boring among 3, Fuel station is his second home(FE is quite low compared to other two). That said when it comes to comfort, Innova is the BOSS. 10-15 minutes after we start, except me (The Driver) everyone else is snoring. This happens be one of the reason why it is so boring to drive, the poor audio just makes it worse. It is also our workhorse, which is used to transport all our farm produce (There are times when we have carried up to 700-800 kilo of goods). The only person not willing to travel in this car is me because it’s so boring and takes quite an effort to drive in comparison.

4. Activa x2- The Extras:
mileAge: Activa 1=5K, Activa 2=40K
DOB: Activa 1=Jul 2014 Activa 2:2002
Complexion: Activa 1:Red Activa 2: Gold.
While the Activa 1 is for city ride, Activa 2 is for farm purpose. Except for change in Engine and body panel, both are essentially the same. Not a comfortable one to ride, but the most easiest to ride.While riding all I need it 2 feet wide space, if there is a road or not hardly matters. Has got one the most reliable engines out there. I am yet to find out a way to break down the engine!

[tejas.negandhi]

Really nice thread.

I have two cars (Hyundai i10 and i20) from the same family with the same engine but both are quite different.

Hyundai i10 Asta:
Compact and zippy car. The engine is very zippy and gives adequate power for those overtaking maneuvers. The steering is very light and gear shifts are slick. Suspension could have been a bit stiffer. In traffic this car is a boon and it doesn't need frequent gear shifts.
Mileage is just about OK. In Mumbai traffic, one gets 10-11 KMPL

Hyundai i20 Asta Petrol:
In one word "Boring"
In two words "Convenient" but still "Boring"
i20 Asta is loaded with features. It has safety (Airbags and ABS), convenience (steering mounted controls, reverse camera, sensors, auto wiper and headlights, etc. etc.) and comfortable and spacious interiors.
But the car is still a big let down. The car is super sluggish, steering is too smooth, suspension on softer side. In traffic or on slopes frequent gear shifts are required. Turing radius not as good as an i10.
Mileage is pathetic as I never got more than 9 KMPL in Mumbai traffic.

Thank you.

[racerdabba]

Posting in Tbhp after a long time, but the tread was mouth watering.

Maruti 800 (Black Widow) - My first car so to say, the small, lithe, agile thing was a dream come true for a teenager. Not much power, but that steering was as talkative as one can get. The low power and 3 pot engine taught me a rev happy driving style that i still follow. Turbo'ed it for more fun, but the half hearted DIY attempt meant pistons and crank gave away early. Still, the most fun car i ever had. no doubts. Sold it with a heavy heart after 16 years.

WagonR Vxi(O) (Agent Phil) - Maruti took away the wagons jeans and t shirt and gave it a suit and tie. Composed, comfortable and mature. You coudn't get it angry even if you wanted to. The NA engine seems like it had turbo lag. No response in lower rpms. It was alive only after 3k. Boring but practical.

Xylo E4 (Hulk) - Space - Check. Comfort - Check. Affordable - check. RWD - check. unpredictable - check. My long distance cruiser. 8 people in comfort with space for luggage. can cruise at 140 all day long. Needs loads of patience though. Bites back viciously. Hard braking on corners steps out the rear and its scary.

Bolero (Captain America) - Old school fanatic. Knows its age still runs around like a boss. No space, no power, yet still knows how to bully people out of the way. And where the roads end, a few cars can match it.

Baleno (Hawk Eye) - Low tech, but hugely effective. This is my car. Stock now, but wont be much longer. Its my 800 with a way better Engine( its a gem), ride & Handling. Beautifully weighed steering, and the way it grips in corners is something I've yet t experience in newer cars. Planted, but undisciplined, fast but raw. Loads of attitude, long and low, just as i like it. I don't care what FE i get, i drive it like i stole it.

[XD2]

Great thread. For the three vehicles in my garage :

1. Mahindra Thar CRDe - the Elephant : My daily 'independent' drive. Driven at a leisurely pace on my route to office. Also used for all destinations with bad or washed out roads and areas with packed aggressive traffic.

Driving style : "leisurely"

2. Fiat Punto 1.3MJD - the Cheetah : The primary family car, and at times my office drive. Driven at a slightly aggressive note, something which this car seems to enjoy.

Driving style : "fast paced"

3. Renault Duster Diesel - the Horse : Used for all long distance travel. Comfortable drive and plenty of space for stuff. Since I am covering long distances, I try to maintain a steady pace, neither straining the engine, nor losing time.

Driving style : "balanced"

[grease.monkey]

Interesting thread mayankk. Here's my contribution :

1. OHC Vtec : Revv friendly engine with potential. My project car! This one's my daily drive even though it sports custom 4x2x1 race headers, mid pipe and tuned. It's much more responsive and aggressive after the upgrade. Keeping the pros aside, the drive is itching for a suspension upgrade. There's noticeable body-roll and one has to think twice, in fact more than that, before taking a hard turn. Upgraded the rims shod with 205/50 rubber. Handling is much better now with wide rubber! Braking is really good for a 12 year old car (2003 model).

2. Fiat Palio S10 : Now this one's a all in one package. Amazing torque, better suspension, eye catching colour, rare. This one has 4x2x1 headers with custom straight pipe exhaust. Head turner it is! Performs well both on straight roads and corners. Upgraded 205 rubber on stock rims have contributed to the handling as well. Coming to the fuel efficiency, Honda is a notch better compared to the Fiat.

3. VW Polo TDI : This one has the old 1.2, 3 pot engine. The engine is revv friendly, but there's no point in revving the engine all the way till the red-line. Power delivery stop at or before 4k rpm. Performance is decent since it has a 3 cylinder engine. Nothing great, but not that bad either! Amazing handling and FE. The seats and the rear leg room could have been better.

[eyesice]

Awesome thread!

My list -
1. Hyundai i10 Kappa2 - My first car. I learnt to drive on this. I am so emotionally attached to it. Very easy to drive in city. Not bad at all in the highway ( Gave a Fiat Linea MJD a run for it's money ). Now she's in her 3rd year. Awesome Power/Weight Ratio. Gave her a 185/60 R14 upgrade and she just glides on the highway.

2. Tata Safari Dicor 2.2 - Well. This is a majestic beauty. In the motorcycle world, they say - "Everyone gives way to the bullet". I would say - "Everyone makes way for the Safari!". Driving her is like driving a mini truck. Awesome 360 degree view. Great torque and she munches miles like anything.

3. Honda Mobilio P - She's our mile munching machine. We take her out on highways and she like flies like a beautiful parachute. Great handling, awesome engine and utmost all - amazing brakes. One of the best car's in the 10 lakh bracket. Period.

[rsm97]

Nice off-beat topic Mayank.

I do take opportunity to mention about my 10 years old Santro first. Drives light and peppy on roads. I don't push it hard, prefer keeping it below 100 kmph all the time as has tendency to understeer. Rear passengers like the raised bench but dislike its jerky suspension. All in all, quite convenient for short travels.

While driving my Fiesta on the other hand, always look for emptier routes. The fun is in the mid range and the car actually distinguishes itself at speeds above 70 kmph. I personally am ok with its limited power as have a self imposed speed limit of 120. Clutch is hard (wife avoids driver seat) so life gets easier when gear shifting is less frequent. Its low slung structure and tight suspension is in complete contrast to Santro's.

[sourabhzen]

Swift 1.3 Petrol-2008
This car knows my mood and behaves accordingly. It drives as per requirement, swiftly when there is bit some kind of hurry and sedately when I am on schedule (mostly while going to office). It is with me for close to 7 years now and we have covered around 99K kms altogether. We both used to be fast 7 years ago but now we like to behave on road. The only things that I miss in this VXi are the safety features. Never really had a situation where I had to use them and I do not wish to face any situation where those features would have come in handy. But still, I wish they were present. Currently I am using it for 80 km daily drive for commuting to office and occasional highway runs.
Alto K10 - 2010
This is my wife’s car and is used only in Gurgaon. No highway experience with the car except a one small drive to nearby temple 4 years ago. It is more of a go-carting vehicle than a car and I love it to take it to malls on weekends due to the compact dimensions and eager engine. Steering wheel is super sensitive and scares me sometimes.
City ZX -2008
Get this car for two-three months in a year from my father as he uses it only for long distances. It is most comfortable of the three but hates it when I am in hurry. It also consumes least amount of fuel in city driving conditions. It dives beautifully without any surprises whatsoever. Steering, brakes and engine are very responsive and precise.

[SnS_12]

2011 Swift VXI - Really enjoyed driving the Swift, when our second car was a Petrol Indica. Its got a nice peppy engine, which is fun to drive in the city. But on the highway and specially around corners it really doesn't give you the confidence (thanks to the skinny tires). I have changed the air filter to a K&N and the mid range has improved considerably.

The positives of this car is fuel efficiency, light clutch, smooth gear shifts.

Negatives being rear passenger comfort, build quality.

2014 Brio VX - It produces the same power as the Swift, but that is where the similarity ends. This i-vtec is really a gem and the way it sounds when red lined is really intoxicating. I changed the tires to Yokohama Earth 1 185/65 R14 on day one, and it has proven to be money well spent. The second upgrade was to a K&N air filter and there has been a noticeable change in the mid range (much more than the Swift). This car is really a go kart, which can be thrown around corners, which is what we petrol heads enjoy the most.

The positives of this car is engine, space (it really doesn't feel its size when you step in, loads of space both front and back)

Negatives when compared to the Swift, the clutch is little heavier to use compared to the swift, and the fuel efficiency is slightly lower than the Swift. The gear shift is not as smooth as the swift for some reason. Do any other Brio owners feel the same?

These are images of the Brio air filter after 3,000 kms.





The K&N replacement filter



When it comes to space, this is the amount of luggage which was in the car along with four occupants on our recent 3,700 km road trip in our Brio covering Mumbai-Bangalore-Kodai-Chennai-Mumbai

[RajaTaurus]

Well, started with a Premier Padmini in Bombay back in 1989. Typical driving style of a FIATian within Bombay for 3 years.
Moved to Kuwait, started with Mitsubishi Pick up L200 Petrol. For one who was used to Ambys and Fiats, this drove like a proper car. Can max to 140 kmph, with 5 pax, I got proper training and experience in a) driving abroad with discipline b) Left hand drives.
Had a couple of chances to try my hand on my Boss's Mitsubishi Galant, floored it to touch 210 kmph on the main highway of Kuwait. Those days it was just getting back to normal after war, so not much cops or cameras on roads.
Moved to Saudi Arabia in 1996, started getting the feel of American cars. Ford Taurus. I always felt like driving a truck or minibus when driving any American car. I had been given Fort Taurus, Ford Grand Marquis, Ford Mountaineer - All automatic, but never felt any of these as a driver's car, except Taurus to some extent.
Few years later got Toyota Camry. The all in one car for me. Safety, Performance, Comfort, Driving pleasure, (mileage was never a concern there so never bothered). So, My driving got fine tuned in driving Camrys for more than 8 years.
Returned back to India in 2007 and was looking for a 'Camry' for under 10 Lakhs. After some scrutiny, got my Cedia.
Driving Cedia did not change my driving style. Most of the time aggressive - Accelerate and Brake. I love its brakes so many times used test it. For anybody seeing from outside, my driving would seem fast and aggressive, but I know my controls and limits. Sober driving on Crowded streets or congested city roads, fast and furious some times on empty freeways. That is my present style and my car best fits that.

[shankarbn]

BMW E46 3 series - The highway cruiser. Driving dynamics are excellent with the uprated suspension and 18" CSL wheels with some nice rubber. Late braking, cornering with the driver seat slammed as low as physically possible to give a very very connected-with-the-road feeling, making this car oh so much fun to drive. Plants a really wide smile as I walk toward, get into, chuck it in corners, after parking it and getting out too. I have never been able to park it and walk away without being able to stop, look back and admire this beauty. And this happens every single time I get out of it. The car begs me to grab it by the neck and chuck it into corners harder and harder every single time while the 6 pot engine revs all the way to 6500. But is a bit of a chore in the city (comparatively) to drive. Why? See below.

Tata Nano 2013 SE - My second RWD car - the city crawler. For the price, there is NOTHING better. Roomy beige interiors, tiny steering, tiny wheels/wheelbase with independent suspension still means a choppy ride but the size of the car and turning radius makes it a superb package for the city. This is my daily drive and gets me to the trail head with my mountain bike packed inside as well. Seating is higher and well cushioned so I'm calm and composed because I can overtake anyone and drive around like a packrat nibbling up leftovers of the streets faster than any BMW could - in the city, anyway.

[vinit.merchant]

Used 4 different vehicles till date.

Hyundai Santro 1999 Model
Mileage 2005 - when bought - 35k
2008 - when sold - 68k

Absolute bliss to drive in the city. The torque makes you smile. Very zippy and Nippy in the city. It had the imported Japanese 1L engine and it was so silent, one could not make out whether the engine is running.
But out on the highway, you don't need to check the Speedo to know it has reached 3 digit mark. It makes you feel it. Gets scary at 3 digit speeds.

Maintenance costs (considering I was the fourth owner !) were quite low.

I was quite young and this was my first car. I drove it just like a young guy drives his first car. If I had to drive it today, I wouldn't cross 80. Forget 80, I would not take it to the highway.
Clogged 32k in a little less than 3 years, most of which were on the Pune-Mumbai expressway. It was red in color and was aptly called "Pune Mumbai S.T." by my family. They did not like the ride in it at the back, and rightly so. There were a few Pune-Mahabaleshwar, Kolhapur & Shirdi runs too. Sold it when I bought the Palio

I actually loved the way I could do a quick overtake of slow moving vehicles on ghats in this car. Something that I miss on my current GTX.

Fiat Palio GTX 2002 Model
Mileage 2008 - when bought - 15k (yes! that low)
- As of today - 47k
For me, this promotion was like from Manager to VP. The very first thing I noticed is the total confidence that one feels behind the wheel. A total contrast to the Santro on the highways. Where the Santro makes you feel the 3 digit speeds, this will make you feel you are still a long way from the 3 digit mark, even after you have long crossed it. The suspension is a boon in the city. And this had a lot more space. Our Pune-Mumbai drives become quite comfortable and took less time. For me they became enjoyable.

Though I missed the quick overtake ability of the Santro, Palio made up by tackling corners with total confidence. I just loved to take it to the Pune-Mahabaleshwar and Mumbai-Mahabaleshwar route.

Apart from the cars above, following are my vehicles in the 2-wheeler department.

Bajaj Super 150cc - 1999 model
Mileage 1999 - when bought - 0
- as of today - 40k

First vehicle of my life.

This will always be my favorite city commute. The turning radius on this is a boon in the city, and being a 2 stroke, the pick up was awesome. It kind of ran out of juice before you reach the 50 mark, but till then its awesome. This was a semi automatic for me. By the time the speed reached 20, I was already in the 4th gear and then you can go on. It has horrible brakes and never felt confident.
It even had a spare tire on it and even if you have a puncture, just change the tire and carry on, unlike the other motorcycles around.

It is still with me but I cannot find a mechanic to fix it. A couple of parts got robbed from it and now it is not generating the spark. Lying as such since 4 years now.

RE Bullet Electra 5S (CI engine) - 2009 model
Mileage - when bought 2009 - 0
- as of now - 13k

For me, this is the king of the motorcycles this side of 3 Lakhs. It has a charm of its own. With the disc brakes, I can drive it quite confidently. Never taken it long distance as you can make out from the kms covered in 6 years (mainly because my office since last 5.5 years is just 3 kms from home). This thing can go on and on, and on, plus some more at constant 80. Has a lot of road presence too.

The only grudge is the snapping of the clutch cable which can leave you stranded in the middle of the road. Happens once a year. But that is a small price to pay for the feel that it gives you when you ride it at 45 in top gear and just keep chugging along.

This was among the last batches of CI engined bulls supplied by RE, and I am happy I have the CI.

[peterjim13]

Thumbs up for the thread Mayank.

Whenever I think of cars at home I think of the good old Refreshed Indica V2, which we sold about an year back. Let me start with that coz, that would probably be the car which my family has spend more time in, and the car which I've learned driving in.

Here is the review of the 3 cars we have currently, added to the sold Indica.

Indica V2 DLS - 2005 : Obviously not an exciting car to drive and is generations old now. But back in 2005, it was infact very popular and was pretty neat for an upgrade from our 7 year old OMNI and of course it was Diesel and it gave a decent bang for the buck, till we sold it almost 9 years later at 1,60,000km Age.
This was pretty much every day, anywhere car, coz we didn't have any other car that time. Even while we bought the XUV, every day duty went to the Indica and my dad preferred this on city/short drives. There was a lot of effort on City Drives, on highways switching off the AC would work like Nitro for the car. High range climbs have been a pain. Pushing all this aside, it was real value for money. Maneuvering it thorough tight spots, pushing it inside the busy traffic, doing 5th to 4th gear over-taking was all fun for me. 160K old was risky business and thats the reason we gave it off.

XUV 5OO W8 FWD XUV was a huge leap for our family. We treated it like a an Executive sedan, the feel was premium. It also gave me a fantastic identity. Driving it is more pleasure, fun and thrilling than any other car I can remember. I would like to add my friends Opel - Swing which I drove long back to the other car that gives me the same feel. Be it highways, high range, quick curves, city I am just most comfortable in my XUV than anything. Any travel outside our hometown, when family is together for the vacation, its all on XUV. This is the one I love the most. Though parking it, city drive is all not that easy.
Easy overtaking, quick turbo, and of course the 6th gear makes it the machine you should be in. I feel a lot more safer and commanding on my XUV. This was some sort of true dream car for me.

Ecosport Titanium D Ecosport was not my choice, this was never my favorite car. But having used this for about 1 and half years, there are a lot of things that I love when compared to other hatchbacks. This is fun to drive on short trips, City drive is the best on Ecosport. The seating position gives you a commanding feel though the car is not that big. So is the neat ground clearance. I use this on a day to day basis in Cochin, and it really gives me a lot of kmpl. Taking it to a Ford Service is a pain, while to Mahindra is something id love to do. Compared to the Figo I would say its not that fun to drive, but it is always ready for abuse (No off-roading) it is always ready for long drives and lack of 6th gear as compared to XUV makes me frustrated at times on long drives. Again I always feel that I am on a solid build car, but on curvy roads, I still use a lot of caution.

Celerio Lxi I personally do not like anything that Maruti-Suzuki makes simply because of the safety. This was my dads choice of replacement for City drive back home. When I am there back home I use this for city drive and I should say its built for it. It is not that bad on highways, I never felt the comfort of an Indica in this, but these has more light and visibility compared to other Suzuki's and hence it was to an extend build for the role. Gear falls in place like a feather as compared to my other SUVs and it doesn't eat up so much place on our Garage. I always feel the doors flimsy and not protected when compared to a Figo. But like my Indica, it is made of Maneuvering, short parking, heavy traffic and not for Patchy roads, sharp curves, highways or night drives.

[audioholic]

I have a contrasting garage at home and if I really have to describe them it will be an unfair comparison of a practical hatch and an oversized sedan. The only similarity between the two is we end up filling more petrol than it will usually need, thanks to various factors explained below

Our WagonR is the family beater. It does around 70% of the trips in the city but distance wise only 60% of our annual use since the SX4 munches more kms on the highway. The K10 engine was maybe a wrong decision we took when it came to city runabouts. The engine lacks any low end performance with AC which means it should be kept on the boil if the accelerator should provide any sort of a response. This is annoying in traffic with a medium speed since the first gear is too short and second gear too tall. The only highway this car has seen is 60kms of Bangalore Kolar highway.

The only mantra with this car is simple, keep the engine in its midrange, downshift for any acceleration and not try to push the A pedal hard.

Every time I sit in the SX4 after driving the WagonR, I have a huge grin feeling the response the accelerator gives. It just pulls and pulls without breaking a sweat be it any gear or any scenario. Hence this car doesn't require much revving. Usually early upshifts and a very light pressure on the accelerator. On the highways too it cruises comfortably and overtaking is a breeze since once the midrange approaches, it delivers tremendous acceleration. Hence that occasional flooring of the accelerator gives a superb burst of power. In contrast, I floor the pedal of the Waggy, and nothing happens. Just nothing.