[ASHISHPALLOD]

@sam,

thanks for the update sparing time during busy autoexpo schedule.

Originally Posted by Mustang29

OT Ashish, This Team BHP site has become sort of lost people meeting again. Remember me, this is Vikas, your travel partner during Tirupati trip long time ago maybe in 1996.

@VIKAS,
please pm me when possible.
should meet in pune tapri meet.


sorry for OT.

[Sam Kapasi]

And so, before you guys hijack my thread entirely....

---------------------------------------------------------------

The friendly gentlemen at Downtown VW had asked for 10 to 15 days to deliver my red car.

15 days? asked my wife in dismay. 15 whole days?

To my surprise (and a very pleasant one at that) they called me 5 days later they then called me to tell me that my car would be in fact ready for delivery the next day.

Then they call in the afternoon. The car is registered and ready to go! WOW! But I need to do something funny. Because it's fun to be silly.

I decided to play a little trick on her.

Ring ring!
Hi!
Hmm? She asks.
We need to go to the VW showroom again.
Why?
They need you to be there. To uhh.. sign some stuff. It's complicated.
When?
Today.
Today?
Yeah at 4pm.
I'm at work and cannot come. You go. The car's registered to your name anyway. Why would they need me to come?

Uhhh.. (brain come and rescue me now) Ah yes!
It's the insurance inspector. They need to register you as the driver of the car. If you don't come and meet the insurance inspector, you can't claim anything if you crash the car.

Silence for a few seconds. Oh ok she says.

Now some of you may think this is an absurd excuse, but in fact it is not, for a German that is. In Germany, you need to inform the insurance company who will drive the car and who else (other than you) is authorized to drive your car.
If an unauthorized person is driving your car, the insurance doesn't quite work. Or something like that.

Of course in India, where we change drivers all the time, this logic does not apply. Fortunately for me, this does not strike her at the time of this conversation.

Fine then. Sigh. How should we do this?
You meet me at the VW showroom at 4pm.
OK.

I reach there at 3.50pm and see that the car is being cleaned for delivery.
Sure enough on the dot at 4pm, she arrives and walks up to me quickly.

Let's sign these papers quickly I have to... Why are you grinning? What have you done now?
TADAH!!!!
I point to the car, which currently looks like it is going through a formula one pitstop. There are about 8 people being busy or trying to look busy with one red polo.
Is that... is that my car? That IS my car. I knew it! I knew this rubbish about signing papers made no sense. Is this my car? Are we taking it home today? Stop grinning and answer me.

I nod. Still grinning. Looks to me like you're driving home.
Have you checked the car?
I was about to...
Yeah sure. I'm going to check it myself!



He's missed a spot here.

[Sam Kapasi]

A what?

A pooja.
Like Diwali? Seriously? For the car?
Yeah.
She laughs. Wait, seriously?
Yeah.

OK, why not. She's smart like that. Not laughing too much at Indian customs and constantly aware of the deep-rooted culture of things here.

She stares incredulously as the in-house man prepares the coconut and the flowers and the thali.

What are you doing with that?



Putting tikka on engine madam. For long life.
Of the engine?
Yes.
OK.

She cringes slightly as he makes a swastika on the engine.
I refrain from making Hitler jokes. This is a good moment and I shouldn't spoil it.

Coconut sir.
I take it pretending to break it open on the hood of the car.
You WOULDN'T!!
Of course not! lol

Next stop, Kenny's wheel shop. Kenny's guys quickly raise the car and replace all 4 wheels blindingly fast under my wife's watchful eye.





And so we bring her home. My wife's Mumbaiflitzer.



I apologise for the poor quality of the photos, they are from my old mobile.

Coming up next: Street experiences, music system etc.

[Vid6639]

What in the world are some ordinary bridgestone tyres doing on those alloys? Pls. mention the tyre size Sam and which BS (Bridgestone) tyres those are.

[Nikhilb2008]

I was about to post the EXACT same thing as Viddy! Why are you giving away the really nice Apollos and going in for some sad Bridgestones? They look like the B250s too. Which are bad!

The alloys though look really good! I agree with you when you say Hyundai and VW make the best reds in the country. I have a red Getz and it's really striking!

[Sam Kapasi]

Originally Posted by Vid6639

What in the world are some ordinary bridgestone tyres doing on those alloys? Pls. mention the tyre size Sam and which BS (Bridgestone) tyres those are.

They're good tyres. And at a good price. 185/15/70 IIRC. I paid some 5000 over the return of my stock Apollo tyres.

My wife isn't a racerboy. Not a boy for sure anyway. She needs to drive 5 kms a day and the wheels need to look good.
So shhh lol.

Originally Posted by Nikhilb2008

Why are you giving away the really nice Apollos and going in for some sad Bridgestones?

The stock was 14" and we upsized to 15" and I had to change tyres. I was happy with the tyres, I ordered them. They were fine and good vfm. Like I mentioned, non-performance, non-racing 5km a day drive to work.

And so I installed a kick-butt music system in the car. Front components, rear speakers, sweet sounding and no woofer.

Got a special head unit, a sample that was originally for a Skoda Superb, my car. No surprise, the skoda superb HU fit perfectly, tailor made for the polo. Don't ask me how much it cost, I don't know.

And so the car has Bluetooth, Navi, USB. SD card, on-board telephony, DVD player and the works, lol.

She is thrilled!! The guys at VW are also thrilled when they see it a few days later.

[Jaggu]

Only ^^ Vid! and now Nikhil (but understandable ) can ask such a question! Sam excellent story telling (as expected) and heres to many happy mile's wishes to Mumbaiflitzer and the owner

[jatinpatel]

If there exists an award for the best story teller then it should given to you.
The most interesting and Fun first drives threads of new polo seen till date seen here.

can you share more details on the ICE part ?
have to do something similar in my natives Polo TDi

[Punzabi]

Following this thread since day one and reserved my comments for the photos. Congrats on your new acquisition. Can't comment on what you got as I never owned/drove a FAUW-VAY + I am not into engine-vengine but it really is a looker. Red is not my colour but this car does appeal me (or the feminine side of me?) No offence meant to red lovers. Also,these photos don't do any justice to the car, wheels and the ICE. Is this the camera or your hands were really shakey due to excitement\nervousness\or for any other explanable reason when you clicked these? Other than that, great thread as ever before. phive ishtar quality and awarded the same

O.T: Don't you tell us the story is over. If it is, make something up and post here untill you come up with your xmas holiday travelogue. Your silence (extended) is painfull for some for us lot and your threads make our day.

[_raVan_]

Wow, the HU fits perfectly and looks OEM. You didnt mention which brand is it?

[Sam Kapasi]

Originally Posted by jatinpatel

If there exists an award for the best story teller then it should given to you.
The most interesting and Fun first drives threads of new polo seen till date seen here.

can you share more details on the ICE part ?

Originally Posted by _raVan_

Wow, the HU fits perfectly and looks OEM. You didnt mention which brand is it?

Guys, the HU is a drop in replacement for a VW Passat and/or a Skoda Superb. Even the on-board and steering controls work with it, including the aircon display and the parktronic display.
I had ordered a few from China as a test case and used one in my Skoda Superb. The other fit perfectly in the polo.
It is not a brand. OEM suppier.

Originally Posted by Punzabi

O.T: Don't you tell us the story is over. If it is, make something up and post here untill you come up with your xmas holiday travelogue. Your silence (extended) is painfull for some for us lot and your threads make our day.

I have a few anecdotes left before I wrap up this thread

Thank you for your love and appreciation, really. This isn't some epic thread, just an ordinary story of a man and his wife buying a car and you guys make it sound like it's so special. You make it special, really.

After I wrap up this thread I will begin a new story on my Christmas and new years travel. I've been travelling a lot this year but have not posted any travel stories since Greece in April.

Once again, thanks for reading and liking my simple stories. And for coming up to me (like at the auto expo in delhi this time) and telling me you love reading what I write. It is truly wonderful and often humbling to meet you in person. Thank you.

[Punzabi]

This has been said hundreds of times in the past and I say it again. Sam, you hold a very special place in every bhpian's heart when it comes to writing. Its the not the matter of the story that makes it special, its the presentation. The way you narrate your stories that makes its interesting. Somehow, we're addicted to your writing style and could never get enough of it

Originally Posted by Sam Kapasi

Once again, thanks for reading and liking my simple stories. And for coming up to me (like at the auto expo in delhi this time) and telling me you love reading what I write. It is truly wonderful and often humbling to meet you in person. Thank you.

I believe you said that to bhpians in general as I've yet to meet you and hope to bump into you somewhere someday.

[sukiwa]

Originally Posted by Sam Kapasi

I apologise for the poor quality of the photos, they are from my old mobile.

Hmm, that explains hazy photos. Is this same handset which had landed in puddle of water in Kerala?

Can we have a post from 'TheOne' about driving experience?

[VLOCT]

Sam,

That's one sexy VW. Love the colour/wheels combo. Congrats.

Wishing many happy miles for TheOne.

[Ace F355]

Congrats Sam on your new VW. Beautiful writeup, and the best part is where you make the reader imagine the whole conversation going in front of him/her!

I love the car-alloys combo and a equally good HU too! I am hoping TheOne is enjoying it to the core.