Team-BHP - frankmehta gets a CARGASM: Ford Fiesta S Diamond White EDIT

It's been quite a long time since I logged on to team-bhp for the very first time. 3 years to be precise.
Ever since I joined, I envied people who wrote in this section. I always dreamt of opening my own thread here, and gazing at people's threads always gave me goose bumps.
The new horseless carriages with their freshly polished gleaming metal, seats enveloped in clear plastic, the virgin shiny tyres; the odometer showing just a few miles on the clock, and the freshly placed Idol of God, taking pride of place on the centre console of the facia, all made me very nostalgic about the time that I got my first car. I was all of 1 year, and I had a very bad cough and cold. I hadn't eaten a thing since morning, and I could hardly breathe. I can't recall everything about the evening I got my car, but I can most definitely remember the smell that pierced my nose! Fresh car interiors. Which, till now, are my favourite fragrance. Followed by the smell of fuel.
Perusing the write ups of elated owners gasping a few, excited words, gushing about their new possessions made me liken the delivery of a new car with that of the arrival of a new baby in the family. The fanfare, the pride, the happiness, the tears and the absolute urge to go out and parade the new arrival: all are present when there is a new offspring as well as a new automobile in the family.
Cut to the topic, and I shall tell you why I have opened this thread today. It has been a long but unforgetful journey with MH-01-DA-5076, since that fateful Fall in 2001, when we got her home. 8 Years of unfaltering bliss with my Maruti Esteem, that never ever broke down on us. Save for a few punctures, we were never stranded on the road because of her. This kind of a history was nary present in our family, because of which she got the reputation of being a bulletproof horse. Come hail, come storm, she breezed through the worst of conditions, most pathetic Mumbai roads, and even some dicey situations where she was subjected to abuse because of the fact that some idiot had forgotten to connect the radiator to the radiator water bottle, and even disconnected the radiator fan in the process. My Esteem has braved all this, and still, till date, never broken down on the road in its 41 odd k that Dad and I drover her. Dad has driven her till 10k, after which the younger generation took over her reigns. Mom even had a short stint, learning driving on her, and I had a few shunts with her. But she stayed faithful, loving and most importantly, FUN.. I can still vouch for the fact, that most modern cars cannot hold a candle to my car at traffic signals, and more often than not, I am always first off the lights. The light body, the reasonably powerful, high revving, buzzy and light gem of a piece of aluminum mastery, made this car a rocket. It's still a rocket. Period. 8 years, and everything has it's span. Dad decided we needed a bump up, and we decided to put it up for sale. It's spoken for. Within 2 hours of putting up the advertisement. A record of sorts for us.
Now, I am new to the concept of writing in this section. So I apologise for the ramble, but I promise to speak about the actual reason why I opened this thread now.
We have booked our new car. Yes, after a long hiatus of 8 years, I will get to smell fresh interiors again!

It's a Ford Fiesta S, Diamond White in colour. We have booked it on the 7th of August, 2009 at Shaman Motors, and are now awaiting verification from the Kotak Mahindra Finance company, since we have applied for a loan on a fraction of the ex-showroom cost, which we shall be susbequently paying over a period of 3 years, in 35 installments.

Many might ask. WHY a Ford Fiesta? Did I take test drives? How did I arrive at this decision? Why the sports variant?

Let me brief you'll on what EXACTLY I wanted BEFORE I test-drove the Fiesta.

Flashback:
One Month ago:
I wanted a diesel. Period. Regardless of what anyone would say. I'd campaign for a diesel at the drop of a hat. We have a running of 5 km a day, and sometimes we don't even start her up. But I still yearned for a Diesel.

Reason: I had driven the Swift Dzire and Swift Diesel with the national engine, and I loved those torque-surges. I felt a chill in my spine every time I was pushed back in my seat in 2nd and 3rd gears due to the absolute rush of torque. I wanted to swim in this river of torque. I did not give 2 hoots about economy, or the fact that diesels cost a lot over their similarly specced petrol counterparts in all the segments that offered a diesel stallion in the stable, alongwith the Petrol dud of the same spec.

I started my test-drive sessions.
Let me say a few words about the cars I drove.

1. Honda Jazz: Smooth engine, lack of torque, Innovative design, Quirky shape and horrid price tag for the kit.

2. Honda City: Trashy engine at higher revs, garish interiors, lack of driver appeal, spacious but not sporty. The City is a decision one makes with the mind, and not the heart.

3. Fiat Linea/Punto: Bad engines, REALLY bad customer service, Badly maintained test mule. Petrol was underpowered, national engine didn't feel like it was in good shape. Slightly low rent plastics. Good amount of kit. Super sexy looks.

4. Hyundai i20: Uninspiring performance, Lack of rear seat space, small boot, over priced for a hatch of those dimensions. Very well specced, but I wouldn't end up paying 6.5 lacs for vehicle no larger than a Getz. Would have loved to test the diesel, but the price of the diesel (8.5 lacs) was ridiculous. Hence, declined the offer.

5. Hyundai Verna Diesel: Brute of an engine, Low seating, Lack of kit, Turbo lag and overall feeling was of something missing. 9.5 lacs for this car was not what I intended to pay.

6. Maruti SX4: Smooth engine, Characterless car, Poor suspension, high, commanding driving position, but slightly flawed due to lack of visibility. Good amount of kit. No way was I going to pay 8.5 lacs for a car that has almost the same interiors as a Swift. Pretty pointless, to say the least.

7. Maruti Ritz: Now this car, in true Maruti style, gave a tough fight to all cars that I drove, the Fiesta included. Smooth revving KB series petrol engine (didn't bother asking for the national engine, after the Linea debacle), highly specced ZXi version, ABS, dual airbags, comfortable interiors, good gear shift and spiffy performance. I rejected her. She was a maruti and had the habit of rattling more than a rattle snake. I had earlier pledged not to buy a Maruti for this very reason, but the Ritz would have changed that thought. JUST about.

The Ford Fiesta:
This is a CLASSIC example of 'love at first drive'.
Ever since the Fiesta was released, back in 2006, i was always in love with the European looks and simple but striking profile of the car. Non-invasive and something you couldn't hate, even if you couldn't love it.
Had heard of the Gem that resided inside the bonnet, and did duty in the Fusion, which bombed, but made a reputation for the 1.6 SEFI Unit that had the performance of a Derby Steed on a mix of Red Bull and Viagra.

I called Bhavna Ford, which is a kilometer away from my campus, and I arranged for a test. The sales executive came in this Aquarius S, that took my breath away. Even from a distance of 100 meters, I could notice her in the parking lot, parked among 10-12 cars. It's a looker, what with the stunning alloys, large tyres and subtle but beautiful body kit and spoiler.

I sat inside, adjusted the seat, the steering, the mirrors. Had one glance at the road behind, and set off.
The venue for the test drive was Palm Beach road, and I had a well run in S to do it.

The smooth revving engine, the highly addictive short throw gear lever, the soft but inviting feel of the perfectly weighted accelerator, great all around visibility and almost perfect driving position already had me sold. And I had just moved a few meters.

I revved her again and again through the gears, all the way till the redline. the road was empty, and the car was accelerating like there was no tomorrow. I was doing 120 in the 3rd gear, and I had a smile on my face. Something I wanted to wipe off, since I wanted the salesman to know I was having an 'ok' time (finding ways reason to get a discount, you know ;-)

The steering was weighing up really really well, and the car was responding to directional changes at the slightest of instances. I got a real feel of the road underneath, and it felt like I was driving a well sorted car.

I told the fella to gear up for an abrupt stop at a signal, since i wanted to test the brakes. No cars ahead or behind, and I just stomped on the brakes at 110. We stopped in a few meters. All without fuss. I would have spun like crazy on my esteem.

Now, slowly buy surely, the shortcomings started showing. The interiors were looking dated. The shiny plastic on the centre console was not something I was a fan of, and the rear seats had one of the worst designs I had seen in the earlier cars I had driven.
I started lining my priorities:
1. ABS & Airbags--- check
2. Great Handling--- check
3. Good engine and gearbox--- check
4. Good brakes--- check
5. Decent amount of kit and effective Air Conditioning--- check
6. Looks--- check and WOOOAH, the S looks like a totally different Fiesta.
7. Solid Interiors with no rattles--- check
8. Rear seat comfort and slightly cheap interiors: NOT ON THE LIST
9. Stock ICE: NOT ON THE LIST
10. Reliability, Cost of Spares and Service, A.S.S.: Suspect

This is how I can sum the Fiesta up.

After 3 test drives of the S, and one of the ZXi, I decided to book the car. The variant was again a matter of debate, partly because of Ford's (good) strategy to provide all extra fittings in the Options list.
The S won over the ZXi in a battle of the heart over the mind.
We eventually booked at Shaman Ford since we got a HEFTY discount on the S, and eventually it cost me less than even the ZXi. So, my mind was totally satisfied too. It was a win-win situation, and the only thorn in my heart was the fact that I was booking from Shaman, after making the fellow at Bhavna do all the hard work. Thank you, Vibin Vijayan from Bhavna Ford, and apologies for placing the order at Shaman.

Thus we have booked her. And the car is lying at the stockyard, since our loan has to be cleared by Kotak Mahindra Finance. The registration will ensue after this, and we shall be getting delivery soon.... Real soon.

In the mean while, I went to have a look at my car in the stockyard, and to do a proper inspection before it is registered, adhering to the Team-Bhp norms as mentioned by N_C in one of the best threads on Team-Bhp. She passed all tests, and I decided that she would be the one. Noted down the VIN No, and found out she was born in April, 2009.

Happily drove back, dreaming of my white S, awaiting her delivery. Till then, here is the reward for reading my rant patiently. Some pictures of her in the yard, all dirty, and un-PDI'ed. She's going to be mine soon, and I pray all goes well till she is with me.

These photos have been posted earlier by me too, but I am posting them again. Mods please do not mind.
Thanks for looking guys. Stay tuned, and watch this space for more on my newly booked CARGASM.