[mayankk]

Originally Posted by SwatiS

Hey guys I have a basic question regarding this topic. I drive a Amaze petrol. I am very comfortable with it. Occasionally drive an Eon.

But next weekend I am planning to go on a road trip and I have booked a Tata Safari. I have never driven a SUV before. I am going to pick up the car and I will have to drive the first 40 kms by myself and pick up the others for the trip.

Is driving a SUV any different? I am aware that it is higher up the ground and it has almost double the power. Is it going to be a problem for me and I should change the booking to Honda City. We are going to be 5 people in the car but I am really looking forward to driving a SUV. But I want to enjoy the trip as well.

It'll be very different. You'll lose the handling, but you'll gain the straight line boom from the torque. It'll be addictive. Surprising for the first few kilometres, but if you have had any kind of connect with any car, you'll understand when to do what to have the most fun. Having done 5 to a city, and 5 to a safari, no City please.

Just take care that a safari will not like fast corners, and definitely not like sudden steering inputs. Rather, your passengers and you will not. If you're comfortable with that, no need to change your option. "reclaim your life. " (sorry about that last bit)

[pgsagar]

Excellent thread. I have two cars too, and they as different as they can get. A-Star AT and Accord V6 AT ( which is cousin's but I am using right now as he is away overseas on assignment ). One is the tiniest automatic you could buy until Alto/Nano showed up. The other is a big-size sedan ( by Indian standard ).

A-Star AT : Very basic point A to B in-city run-around car. I drive this very sedately knowing fully well that mashing the A pedal to the floor won't get me anywhere in a hurry. Highway runs are very boring because although this car can crawl up to high speeds, it takes light-years to get there. And if you brake from that speed down to 30-40 kph, it will take you forever to get back there again. But it does the primary job of in-city runs with ease. Tiny size helps it squeeze through gaps in traffic.

Accord V6: Now THIS IS THE CAR. If you are pedal to the metal type then look no further. It has torque converter, the much-maligned and looked -down-upon type of AT on teambhp but... in case of Accord the shifts are lightening quick. Add to that the crazy-revving ( repeat CRAZY ) 6-cylinder 3 litre engine, and you have a date with horizon. Everytime. Never misses a shift -- up or down. Never hunts for gears, nor shifts down or shifts up when it should not. Damn thing is like extension of my mind. My cousin was on lookout for diesel AT rocket like Laura DSG or Cruze AT. We drove some. But believe me, these cars are absolutely no match for Accord V6 (Accord 2.4 is very ordinary though). Since his budget was 10 L, after evaluating several Cruze ATs and Laura DSGs and failing to find a low mileage one, he was about to go for Polo TSI. And then he found this 2005 V6 for 5L. Only done 45,000 KMs. But, what a car! This 10 year old car feels like 2/3 years old. Honda quality. And in last 1 year ownership, not a penny spent other than on fuel. For half the Polo TSI money, he is having twice the fun. And, no DSG worries. Not to mention the "badi gadi" respect he gets when he wheels into big hotels and malls ( he drives sedately only here to avoid dirty looks ). Other places, he just steps on it , screeching tyres and all. This car is so good, I like to brake and slow down to 30-40 kph at slightest excuse, just to watch the tacho and speedo needles flying again in split seconds to high speeds, so unlike A-Star AT where speed killed can not be gained again so soon. Cruising continuously at high speeds is so boring. It is always acceleration that thrills than plain constant high-speed driving. Oh, the beauty of faster-accelerating cars!!! To hell with FE. I suggest everyone who likes acceleration to buy this as a weekend flying car. What do you get for 5L these days? Anyone who says Accord V6 are not entertaining, either they drove bad examples, or my cuz hid a secret jet pack under his hood. BTW, it is stock.

[Diesel_convert]

Nice thread!

M800- redline all the time! Need the engine braking you see.

Santro- I drive the most relaxed in this, not by choice.

Gtx- gone now but the most thrilling car in the garage, would redline just to hear it sing in second gear.

Rapid- the best expressway car. Can sit at high triple digit speeds all day. Revs like a petrol. Has a tendency to disappoint in the corners.

Baleno- throttle response, lovely seats and a mechanical feel to driving that's missing in the rapid. Makes me hate turbo diesels

Scorpio- Slow and careful makes sure you get home. Horrendous dynamics.
Can scare petrols hatch's in a straight line. It feels like a truck in every way.

[samm]

Our cars -

a) Santro Y2K2 model : Fun to drive, excellent low end torque. Can take anywhere, take U-turn anywhere. Upto 100Kmph no issues. I have heard that the newer Santro's (1.1L) are much better, and my friend drives at 120Kmph, and he is more comfortable in Santro than his Verna at that speed!! 14 years, still going strong. Low maintenance, no breakdowns. The original Bridgestones were changed at 14 years after 70k kms, 50% on highways. Clutch still going strong.

b) Innova GX: Tremendous low end torque. Comfortable cruiser. You can drive it at 110-120Kmph all day. I have seen Innova's overtaking me at that speed effortlessly and sure, there are guys who drive to know this car better, with just 100bhp under the hood. FE - 80-100Kmph will give you 15+kmpl, above 100kmph drops to ~14 kmpl. Badly need a 6th gear, otherwise excellent. Soft suspensions - kind of love-hate relationship. Bad roads- either go slow, or fast. In-between speeds will throw you around. Maintenance costs, lesser than santro. 50K km done now.

[ajmat]

After a City Vtec and a Skoda vRS with their peaky engines. It took a while to learn how to ride the torque of diesel in my Jetta. My drive style has totally changed, instead of prodding to perform, I merely cruise along.

This has meant that I find the Swift with its peaky engine a bit thrashy. I quite enjoyed using my mothers i10 Grande with its excellent low end torque

[Honda Monk]

Esteem'03 : My first car. I learnt fun driving on it. Used for daily commute to college with friends. No CNG kit. Least care for maintenance required. Fun zipping in city. Touched 140 on expressway. But it didn't age well with all the rattles creeping in. Nonetheless India's true first contemporary sedan.

OHC'02: Bought used in 2010 just for super spirited drive. It amazed me, although gave lotsa pain as well in maintaining it. Every time I was behind the wheel it brought smile. I felt like red lining all the time. Quick throttle always kept me in charged mode. It brought the auto enthusiasts out in true sense. Never wanted to let it go but parking space compelled so. Still miss the drive.

XUV500: A big punchy diesel beast. Although the engine is amazing in terms of spirited drive bit I prefer to reach the top calmly. That's way it is more fun with this urban Mhawk. Also prefer to be more responsible considering the size of the car.

[anoshdhondy]

A very interesting topic:
Tata Safari 4x4 EX TCIC 2002: I know this is a cliched thing to say (but it is a cliche because it it true) She is a fantastic highway cruiser and to be honest not to bad in the city either ( Mumbai). This could be that since this is the car I learnt to drive on it has never seemed to big or ponderous anywhere.

1957 FIAT: Yes a dukkar and yes first owner vehicle. Was bought by my grandfather. What surprises most people is that while many people with classic cars use them sedately ,she is infact my barnstormer. With a Weber TIPO carb with an exciter pump and a special FIAT made desert air filter she goes like she sounds. A proper little rocket. Cornering is fun ,the steering is beautifully weighed as well ,light at parking but not too light at speeds

1996 Mahindra MM 540 ( bought last year): For a person used to the Safari two things struck me when I started driving the Jeep:
1) The Safari suddenly felt like it had the benefit of a blown diffuser when cornering and
2) Flexing my right foot for a getting of the lights in the Jeep like I do in the Safari means that everyone gets whiplash.

As far as cornering goes I prefer to put a positive spin on it and you can have fun cornering at insanely low speeds. Steering works to put the vehicle in the general direction where you want to go. The body roll can be unnerving initially but then one learns how to enter the turn that little bit earlier and then let the Jeep then somehow manage the rest of the turn.

[navin_v8]

Fantastic intiative on bringing up this thread mayankk

Opel Astra: The Highway Stormer aka Battleship Bismarck
I bought this as my first car way back in 2005. I had been a secret admirer of this car since its launch in India. I used to collect its posters from various magazines and news papers. One tagline that caught my attention was, "The Flight of German Engineering". I am a self confessed sucker for German products especially automobiles. I knew it that Opel is a reputed German carmaker. My choice while hunting for a car was simple and straightforward I had just one choice YES the Opel Astra 1.6 Petrol. Mine was a 1997 model which came with a new improved 1.6 litre 16NZR series SPFi engine. Infact this was the car I was waiting for all my life. The very feel of seeing and feeling a German car is different. Everything from heavy doors to heavy bonnet cover to heavy boot lid to the heavy car itself weighing in at 1.5+ tonnes was amazing. The steering was a pure hydraulic bliss and very well weighed. I am yet to come across such a marvellous and luxurious suspension in a car costing less than 10 lacs. My parents would always say this is the best car for our roads. The double wishbone suspension upfront and gas filled dampered suspension in the rear made it move like a heavy battle ship decimating the potholed roads and undulations aplomb. The fact that I could see the front bonnet stretching made it even easier for me to drive around this behemoth. It had oodles of low end torque and would pull out easily out of steep inclines even with full load. The turning radius for a car this size was good. Coming to the engine it was a 1600cc petrol guzzler but a pure delight to drive. I could relate to each and every characteristic of the engine and its dynamics. While in the city I would use a very light foot while driving where the car would return 9 KMPL while out on the highway I have got 12 KMPL and sometimes even 15 KMPL with 50-75% AC. Highway is where this heavy German Cruiser shined. I always used to tell this to my fellow enthusiast friends, "This car is built for the highways". It used to cruise effortlessly at 120-130 KMPH on 5th gear at a lazy 3500 RPM. Coming to the gearbox it was not very slick but was sure slotting. I used to like the long throws and the ball shaped gear lever itself. Astra had a relatively good flat torque curve and used to cross the speedbreakers in 2nd and sometimes 3rd gear. The torque delivery was so good that I didn't had to use the accelerator at all even in first gear while climbing inclines. It's boot had a deep cavernous 500 litres capacity, my mother loved this as she could stack as much luggage as she wanted. Feature wise it had all one touch down power windows, electrically adjustable RVM's, octane switch, factory fitted blaupunkt music system and speakers, power antenna for expansion and retraction, rear defogger, etc. The seats were akin to sofa which were very accommodating and soft. The seats were wide and had good under thigh support. Coming back to driveability, I used to jump at every opportunity to drive the car as I was the only driver in family. I used to take the long route deliberately to enjoy the driving. My dad loved this car for its plush ride, sorted suspension and smooth engine. He too is a lover of German products having worked for Siemens for close to 40 years. Coming to the parts inside the car everything was stamped Mde in Germany. Alternator was Bosch make, AC switches and many other switches were Siemens make, AC pollen filter was some German brand which I forgot, and many more. I used the car for close to 8 years and then had to let it go as the spares were becoming scarce and most of the garages were refusing to repair it. With a heavy heart I had to let it go, infact I had maintained it so well that I refused to sell it to anyone and had it scrapped right in front of my eyes. The scrap dealer told me, "Sir this car is so good the paint quality is very good it still has some shine left, there is not even a single dent anywhere, you can sell it at a good price instead of scrapping it!" I replied I have taken care of her like my own family member and I don't wish to sell it to some undeserving bloke for peanuts! I will be much more satisfied to have it destroyed in front of my eyes rather than seeing some undeserving bloke buy it for peanuts. I couldn't behold the sight while it was being hammered down so I left with tears in my eyes. That was one of the most saddest days in my life. This was my first car and I wanted to retain it badly but due to the notorious parking woes in my society and some mechanical issues in the car I had to let it go.

Mitsubishi Lancer: The Legend Killer aka The Fighter Plane Zero
Before I sold my Opel Astra, I was on the hunt shortlisting cars. I drove Ford Ikon and Fiesta Classic, Honda City, Maruti Suzuki Baleno, etc. None of this pulled my heart strings and I was back on hunt. All this while there was one car that was on my mind The Mitsubishi Lancer and Cedia. Coincidently my dad said why dont you consider Mitsubishi? I was like yes dad I have shortlisted Mitsubishi Lancer and Cedia. I got a hot deal on a used 2004 Mitsubishi Lancer 1.5 LEi the top end model. It had all the bells and whistles besides awesome driving dynamics and a gem of an engine. I sealed the deal with the Lancer owner one day before my Astra was to be scrapped. I took the delivery on the very next day and was delighted to be behind the wheel of the Lancer. As a German car fan I was a bit apprehensive about a true blue Japanese car. But I was not disappointed, the car although lighter than Astra had very good dynamics right from the well weighed doors to the way it drove. I immediately felt at home in the Lancer albeit it was more refined and responsive than Astra. The steering was a pure hydraulic one and fell in the right place, infact I liked the steering placement of Lancer where it falls in hand much better than Astra. The suspension was a bit stiff as it was based on rally underpinnings. Feature wise it comes with all four power windows, power antenna, electrically adjustable RVMs with retraction and opening, Kenwood music system and speakers, mag wheels including spare wheel, stanley pure leather perforated seats, and many more. The 1.5 litre petrol engine although less powerful didn't make me feel wanting for more power it was just adequate enough for me. Another feature that made me fall for this car was its ultra flat torque curve that made it feel almost automatic like car. I didn't need to downshift while driving at 30 KMPH on 4th gear due to flat torque curve. Lancer would happily putter at such low speeds with zero vibrations and complaint. It was such a bliss to drive with this setup in a city like Bombay. I also confess I have always been a slave of flat torque curve as my Astra, RE Bullet CI heavy crank and now Lancer have spoilt me. The car doesn't feel comfortable while driving through potholes and undulations as it has stiff suspension. But on the flip side it has magnificent handling characteristics and makes an average driver feel like a rally car sports driver. I have driven it on winding roads at cruising speeds and it doesn't leave its path, it drives like it is on rails. The lighter and nimbler handling is very good on narrow roads also the suspension becomes smooth and transforms itself like the Astra's after crossing 60 KMPH. Suspension becomes more and more comfortable as and how I increase speeds. The front mile long bonnet gives me a wide view and aids in maneuvering this long car in tight corners. I absolutely love the way this car the way it involves its driver while driving, must I say it outshines the Astra in this department. I will keep this car for a long time to come while enjoying everytime I drive it. I am also a huge fan of WRC and Dakar Rally and the fact that I own a Mitsubishi is like icing on the cake. From my narration and experiences, it will be clear that I choose a Driver's Car. Always.

[Carpainter]

Originally Posted by SwatiS

But next weekend I am planning to go on a road trip and I have booked a Tata Safari. I have never driven a SUV before. I am going to pick up the car and I will have to drive the first 40 kms by myself and pick up the others for the trip.

Is driving a SUV any different?

Since you have never driven any Suv, it will be different. You need to be careful for the first 2-3kms and you'll have to be gentle with the car. There is plenty of torque available at low rpm so be a bit careful in bumper to bumper traffic for the first few kms. You also might find the steering a bit stiff too. But don't worry of all these. Once you get the hang of the vehicle, you'll enjoy it. May be so much so that your next purchase will be a torquey diesel suv.

[Aragorn]

So many cars being talked about - so many impressions. But one thing is for sure - no matter which car, which OEM, we form a special bond with the cars we drive. We know that one quirk which sets it apart from others.

In order of owning and driving, here is one more list:

Maruti 800 (1997 model): No power steering, no AC and for the crying out loud - no fuel injection. What a car though! I remember doing 130 kph on a downhill stretch. That was the fastest I had driven for a long long time. It served us so well and was so difficult to let go of. I remember the drive back when we exchanged the car - no one spoke. We were missing a family member, surely.

Honda City (Type 2 - 2002 model): Still driving it and in no mood to let go! A good AC overhaul recently and after almost 90k kilometres, still drives as smooth as new! Sure there are some rusty bits and some door rubber falling off - but what a car, what a car! That perfect gear shift, the low down seating position (my family still hates me for this) and that sweet steering. Cruising down at 100 kph, Metallica playing the background, absolutely no engine sound - but responds beautifully when asked. Will miss her when we sell her off a couple of years later.

Hyundai i10 (2009 model with Kappa engine): Upgrading from a hatch like the 800 to the i10 was a huge step for us! The beige interiors, superb seats and luxurious interiors made it more premium feeling than the City. Never really enjoyed the drive, despite a wonderful engine. Despite lacking bottom end - it made up for a surprisingly meaty mid-end. The steering felt like a joy stick and the handling left a lot to be desired. But the ownership was a joyous experience with little to nothing spent during the 5 years she was with us.

Alto A-Star Automatic (2010 model): This car has personified what a "perfect city car" should be. Easy and smooth auto box. A height adjustable seat that lets my dad to get a clear seating position. ABS that gives me peace of mind. A frugal engine that gives 10-12 kmpl even in terrible Bangalore traffic. Wonderful to drive, even with a sluggish box and joyous thing to pilot on twisty roads. The suspension set-up is a bit stiff for the city, but is a delight on the open road. This is a keeper. Will stay with us for a long time!

Mahindra Xylo (D2 - 2012 model - company car): This was an odd vehicle that was my daily driver for almost 2 years. An absolute abomination to look at, crude interiors and a gear lever that would rattle like no tomorrow. But all negatives aside - this was one amazing cruiser (with no passengers on-board) and superb to drive in the city thanks to the low-end torque from the 2.5 L engine. This has made me fall in love with diesel engines - but strictly large capacity ones.

The last car epitomises what I said earlier. The Xylo is an absolutely dreaded vehicle - but I still had a special bond with it and remember the long journeys that I undertook in it.

The one car that I had for a very short time was a Mercedes C Class while in Germany and the only one that I ever crossed 200+ kmph many times. Will never forget her. She will always be the short relationship that one has and will always remember for a lifetime

[Speed Pujari]

Interesting thread. Here is my Take

(Sold) Fiat Palio 1.2 ELX - I bought this car for the purpose of gaining confidence before going for a new car. Ideally meant for people who wish to meditate in traffic. The sluggishness taught me real meaning of Patience. It needed special doctors for fixation and used to give entirely weird issues. E.g. Battery conked off during peak hour at a traffic signal, coolant leaked due to rusted water play, coolant leaked again due to improper sealing. I thought of either to sell it or use it as a locker. I had numb hands once after holding the front bonnet for 5 minutes, my hands kept shivering of its own for another 10 minutes. My first outing in this car was to Coorg from Bangalore when roads from Hunsur to Madikeri did not exist. I jumped the car over all the potholes with money ready to replace the suspension. No replacement later and the stock suspension were still doing good at 93k kms (when I sold it)

(Current) Fiat Linea T-Jet - The suffering test of patience in Palio took me to take this extreme step. I did not have the money to get or maintain the Cruze, 3 series or VRs. A diesel would have induced some kind of cardio illness since it already got seeded up after driving the sluggish Palio. Happy miles with the car and I happen to visit showrooms of other brands, none of the cars are convincing enough to replace the T-Jet. Extremely comfortable, peppy, performs like a faithful dog, boot has a space of pick-up truck, premium interiors.

[carwatcher]

Awesome Thread !!!

Ford Fusion+ (P) : Drive it anyway you like and anywhere you like car. Absolutely no rattles even after 10 years. Solid inside out and with 1.6L engine makes you revv hard.
Driving style : Semi-Aggressive.

Fiat Linea T-Jet+ : But for slight Turbo lag, everything is awesome, be it power, pick-up, handling and on top of everything... Braking. This car has changed my driving style completely and as my better half reminds me, has spoiled my driving. As mentioned in the official review to various ownership threads, this car is difficult to drive with a lighter foot and the co-passengers don't realise the speed car is running at. Truly Awesome experience.
Driving style : Aggressive.

A-Star A/T : Most surprising package for me as I found the handling experience better than other Marutis I have driven and started loving this car which I hated earlier. This is my wife's car but I also drive it often. One can also get the desired performance if shifts the gear manually, like 3 or 2, it helps in overtaking and climbing slopes. The best part for me is ABS.
Driving style : Semi-Aggressive.

As I mentioned on various other threads it was the humble Maruti 800 which has made me start enjoying driving, so it deserves a mention. It was bought by me in 2002 and sold in 2006.

[wantarangerover]

Maruti 800
The most barebones car there is. Good for darting through traffic, you push hard on the throttle at the lights. Long gear throws, long clutch travel. The accelerator pedal also needs to be worked before you sense power coming through. A go kart with doors.

Hyundai santro
Very light controls as compared to the 800. Shorter gear throws mean you are in third sometimes when you wanted first. It will still move forward from standing still even then. Doesn't bolt out of the traffic signals like the 800 and you need to get into second quickly to get into power. Not good over uneven surfaces, shows some lateral movement. And you better take corners sedately. Good for cruising on the highway, compared to the 800.

Ford Ikon 1.6 Nxt
Torque. period. I have surprised myself with the low end torque everytime even after owning it for sometime. Runs out of breath soon though. Not that much of a cruiser on the highways. Best enjoyed in the city in second and third. Throttle response is crisp, but braking leaves a lot to be desired. Handling is great and you smile involuntarily while taking corners every time.

Honda amaze
High revving engine, typical of Japanese machines (They rev their engines like crazy, from my experience living in Japan. Maybe that is why their engines are designed this way). After driving the Ikon, if you expect it to scale gradients in low rpm, expect to shift down midway and rev it up like hell. Best enjoyed in third at high rpm in city roads at high revs. Notchy gearshift is good, but you may miss gears if you are not used to it. Feels good when you get it right.

VW polo TDI (3 pot)
Lethargic engine, refinement issues. Have to be in the turbo zone. else would feel very underpowered. So you are waiting all the time for the turbo to spool up. Have to downshift to first at crawling speeds as second gear would mean low rpm and no torque. Gearhift is nice and notchy, but not as much as the Amaze I feel. Have to work hard to make progress.

[Rahul Bhalgat]

Interesting thread.

Here are my personal statistical observations of the driving styles of some cars seen from outside (as an onlooker):

Mercedes (highway): fast but disciplined.

Mercedes (city): disciplined and not fast, respecting the signals.

Audi, Fortuner (highway): fast and in a great hurry, will flash the headlights impatiently from the rear even when he sees that the car ahead (already at 100 kmph) is not in a position to give way for next 50-100 meters.

Audi (city): crossing the red light right in the middle, bluntly, with no necessity, just to show the presence IMO and just to show that they are in a position to take liberty with the laws.

Fortuner (city): disciplined.

BMW (highway): fast, not flashing lights impatiently, not as meticulously disciplined as Mercedes.

City / Rapid / Vento / Octavia / Superb (highway): not as fast as Mercedes but disciplined. Occasional bold maneuvers.

Maruti 800 / Zen (highway): Running relatively slow and steady in the middle lane.

No offense meant. Personal observations in Pune city, on the Mumbai - Pune E-way / Pune - Bangalore highway.

[audioholic]

Originally Posted by Rahul Bhalgat

Interesting thread.

No offense meant. Personal observations in Pune city, on the Mumbai - Pune E-way / Pune - Bangalore highway.

To add to this:

White innova with or without govt. regn - Hey I dont have brakes, get yourselves clear of my way.

The occasional skoda - Comes, passes and goes.