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Old 19th September 2005, 10:39   #1
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800KM Sunday Lunch Drive

The Drive - It all started when I decided to get my GTX back to bangalore. Problem was my Uno was here with me. I had to give it to my bro and get the GTX back. Was wondering whether I could ask the driver to come and pick up or maybe my bro to come down...

Then the devil in me took over! I decided to drive down, pick the car up and drive back down - ALL IN THE SAME DAY! That is how it started.

My fiancee wanted to come along and drive on the way down to coimbatore. So we started from blore at 5.45AM on sunday and hit the ORR with my better half at the wheel. 45 minutes later we were yet to hit Hosur road. So I got behind the wheels and drove till Hosur. After hosur we had around 50kms of empty expressway. I moved over and let her drive from there. It took us around an hour to reach Krishnagiri Toll gate. Nothing interesting in this strech - average speed was less than 60kmph.

After Krishnagiri, the roads become bad and so I took over. 45 or so KMS after I started driving we reached Dharmapuri. It was 8.00 AM and we decided to stop there for bfast. We pulled over at Hotel Rama's. Our usual stop whenever we travel this way. The food is exceptionally good here that I invariably end up over eating every time. Not that I am complaining though...

Started from Dharmapuri by 8.30 AM and hit the roads. The sun was out in full. It was scorching and terribly hot. But ray ban coolers, dark tints and the super cool Fiat AC made mince meat of the heat. Idle talk, music, discussions went on and finally by 12.30 reached home.

Home food is what makes the 800km to and fro drive worth it Yummy rice and vegetables cooked at home - Shucks man! after eating in the office canteen 3 times a day for the past one year I am dying for home made food. Talked, hogged and fooled around till 2.00 PM. Then got the car ready and left home.

It was 2 PM when we left home (coimbatore). Stopped at salem by 5 for snacks. Reached bangalore by 9.15 and home by 10.30. A nice warm bath, dinner and I hit the bed by 11.30. End of a ideal sunday - the way I would want to spend. In a car driving it for 18 hours!

Driving Experience - Two fiats - one a 95k old 1.9 diesel the other a 35k old 1.6 petrol. While one is very sober and runs 145 profile rubber the other is a total screamer - runs 195 profile rubber on shining alloys. But now when I think back they are not so far apart.

Both cars are very solidly built. The seats are good in the palio but it was just bloody great in the Uno. I hardly felt tired after driving for being in a car for 18 hours. The air con was good, both cars felt solid doing 80-100Ks on the road.

Where they are stark as chalk and cheese it the FE department. The uno returned 22kmpl while the palio is now hovering some where around the 15kmpl mark as of now. Not that I care too much of FE. The way the GTX drives makes up for all that.

Right from the moment I started from home in coimbatore till I reached bangalore, all I had to do was use the throttle pedal as foot rest for my right leg. Believe it or not I JUST PRESSED THE THROTTLE 2-3 MM! No stomping on the gas pedal. The car picks up revs quite effortlessly and the torque wave just carries you through irrespectve of the speed.

I never crossed 3000 rpms in the return trip. I maintained it at 2000rpm in 5th with the speedo showing 80-90 kmph. Overtaking a slower car required a small press on the pedal and the car would gather speed effortlessly. I was impressed by the mad tire shredding way the GTX would take off when the gas pedal was floored. Now I am with the way the baby cruises.

The car is parked in the basement garage and drawing stares from one and all. Time to buy a car cover I guess. I have had very bad experiences with this car before - people scratching the body with keys, stones etc.,

Planning to get a free flow muffler and a K&N on to it some time soon. I'll put up pictures of the car in a while. My laptop has crahed. Need to restore it and get the pictures from it.

Phew! A loooooong write up. But wanted share the experience with yuo guys.
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Old 19th September 2005, 10:45   #2
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Nice write up Harrie. This is the second time someone has posted a travelogue involving two Fiats. Way to go!
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Old 19th September 2005, 11:34   #3
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Good write up. Seems that UNO & PALIO are on the same league. Any specific reasons you want GTX back with you.
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Old 19th September 2005, 11:58   #4
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Nice writeup Harrie. Sounds like sequel to my post on a long invlolving with two Fiats
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Old 19th September 2005, 12:19   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Harrie
Driving Experience - Two fiats - one a 95k old 1.9 diesel the other a 35k old 1.6 petrol.
A very nice report, Harrie! Shouldn't that be a 1.7 diesel for the Uno rather than a 1.9 diesel?
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Old 19th September 2005, 12:51   #6
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@ hrag - is it a 1.7? I dunno. I remember it being the 1.9D same as the Palio D I guess.

@ Surprise - nothing in particular. Just wanted a change of ride for a few months. Besides the amount of travelling I do inside blore has also some down now. So I dont need the diesel anymore.

@ satish_appasani - your report was the inspiration. thought of giving a similar title and calling it no:2, but decided to go with the present one.

One advice for people using the Krishnagiri - Dharmapuri strech - The roads are pretty bad at places. There are huge pot holes - really big potholes on the road. At one strech there is a 0.5 feet deep crater! It extends from the middle of the road all the way to the shoulders. Hit it at speeds of over 80kmph and the suspension is sure to get a hammering.

I was lucky to avoid it in the morning. Ran into two pot holes in the night. Not big ones though; but still gave me a good scare.
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Old 19th September 2005, 13:12   #7
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Nice write up, Harrie!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Harrie
Overtaking a slower car required a small press on the pedal and the car would gather speed effortlessly. I was impressed by the mad tire shredding way the GTX would take off when the gas pedal was floored. Now I am with the way the baby cruises.
And people keep on talking about ripping the car :-) I love the way it cruises at 100-110, with right foot relaxing on the throttle. No noise, no vibrations!
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Old 19th September 2005, 14:25   #8
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You sure go out of the way for a Sunday lunch! Felt good to read about your drive - next time take the Satyamangalam route to CBE (Kollegal). Its safe now that Veerappan is out of the way.
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Old 19th September 2005, 14:42   #9
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I thought of taking that route or the longer masinagudi route. But decided against it as time was a big factor. Also didnt want to stress myself as I had a return journey to do.

The masinagudi route is absolutely fabulous. I went to Bandipur for lunch on Ganesh Chadurthi. Well that is another story... I'll put that up once I get the pictures. Just after leaving Mysore the lush green scenery was just amazing!
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Old 19th September 2005, 15:17   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Harrie
I thought of taking that route or the longer masinagudi route. But decided against it as time was a big factor. Also didnt want to stress myself as I had a return journey to do.

The masinagudi route is absolutely fabulous. I went to Bandipur for lunch on Ganesh Chadurthi. Well that is another story... I'll put that up once I get the pictures. Just after leaving Mysore the lush green scenery was just amazing!
Masinagudi route is quite fabulous and it would take a similar kind of time as the route via Salem under normal circumstances. However the problem nowadays is getting to Mysore from Bangalore in one piece - the rest of it is a piece of cake.
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Old 19th September 2005, 15:39   #11
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Steeroid, the Bangalore - Mysore road is loads better now. They have paved almost 60% of the roads. Its now a proper 4 (or is it 6???) lane high way. I'll try and take that route the next time now that i have a better car.
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