Started with want to buy a car to the GETZ CRDi, this is how I did it ... It all started in 2007 with 'let’s buy a car'. Ok, something cheap yeah (me & wifey decided that basic will do):
1) The Alto: cramped, cramped, cramped. Let’s try the Wagon R - it looks more spacious
2) Wagon R : Felt pleasant, but the rubbery gearshift & pickup felt less than what I desired at a minimum.
Phase 2 - 'since we had already planned to up spend to around 4lacs, why shouldn't we look at a segment slightly higher?
Saw an ad in the paper for FIAT Palio and we had a smile on our faces. This looks good... Let’s go for a TD.
Tata showroom salesman: Saar, go for power, try new 1.6
The reaction: wow, I never knew 100bhp can feel like that
Let’s book ... But wait. A mileage of 9 in city & isn't this car supposed to be heavy on maintenance.
Looked on the web & found Team-BHP. I was immediately addicted to the forum. Spent hours and days researching hatchbacks.
Then was caught by the SWIFT bug since many keep talking about it & comes from a reputed co, resale etc etc.
So let’s check it out.
1st glance
Me : nice & smart looking, has the Esteem engine, what can possibly be wrong ?
Wifey : you gotta be kidding me. No way
Salesman - saar would you like to test drive diesel. Award winning engine, extremely efficient, cdri etc etc.
At this point I had no clue of what he was talking about coz my perception was diesels are meant for suv's, buses or trucks.
Got behind the wheel & was baptized. +s of a diesel I immediately recognized
1) Cheap to top up
2) Runs more to a km than petrol
3) Extremely refined and doesn’t rev high, but with all that turbo I couldnt believe the technology
4) Extremely peppy with the turbo & immense torque
I converted
But wifey did not (I meant to the Swift). Here is where priorities changed:
1) This car is expensive (pre cenvat cut)
2) There is virtually no space... We need a boot now (plan keeping the future in mind)
We were back to square 1, test drove the world:
1) Palio MJD - loved the tuning, was too scared to go in for a fiat
2) Vista - Nice, but yaar its a Tata. Don't know about niggles. Lets stay away
3) Ikon TDCI happened. Sedan, CRDi, peppy - what more does one need? Went with d_himan for a TD & the car was great but noisy as hell + wifey felt claustrophobic with the low seating
For a long time we were towing on the lines of either Swift vdi or Ikon TDCi. I had convinced wifey that it’s the right thing for us to do.
For some strange reason after a while I felt that it was raining GETZ CRDi's on the forum.
Chalo yeh bhi try kar lete hain. Registered on Hyundai online & I get a call. Saar Getz crdi test drive. Took wifey along (by this time she started to think that I TD cars for kicks & wiling away time)
Experiences from the TD
1) Design: felt appealing, looks compact yet spacious, a 294 litre boot (wow, 70℅ of a sedan). Wifey liked the big windows
2) Ergos: simple, yet easy to access controls, tilt steering & loads of space to keep lots of things
3) The Ride: in one word 'exhilarating'. 110bhp under 5500 rpm is like a dream. I don't remember exactly but at one point I was in the 3rd gear at 2000 odd RPM and the odo read 100. This is it, the beast; rather the monster that I wanted to tame was right in front of my eyes
4) Cost: at 6.33 lacs OTR Mumbai, it still looked steep but much better after the cenvat cut. Otherwise it would have been 6.56
5) How did we make it affordable for ourselves?
A) Getting insurance done from someone who u know well
B) Availed of a corp discount, though small it makes a difference 3.5k
C) Pestered for regular freebies like mats, flaps, sun film, anti rust coating
What I did not like:
1) Rubbery gearshift
2) Anorexic tyres - feels suicidal while cornering
Intend to upgrade to 185 Yoko’s on stock rims, as am not a big fan of alloys. Besides, have decided not to spend lavishly.
The buck stops here, the car has been ordered & am awaiting finances to be cleared (lots of paper work still left).
Amidst all of this there is one bad news. The blue we asked for is not available (Sorry its Sparkle Blue & Not Alpine Blue - Didn't know that until today); I have pushed back to the dealer to try once again. Let’s see, ill keep you all posted and will write in soon.
This post would be incomplete if i dont acknowledge the patience some of the guys in the forum whose brains i have chewed endlessly
1) moralfibre
2) rudrah
3) benbsb29
4) condor
And of course my very good friend
5) d_himan
Cheers
Ps. I havent taken pics during my TD. Will directly post after the car is delivered. And yes, thanks for all the kind words guys. |