As I stopped at the first home, I notice steam coming out of the bonnet.

BHPian Samurai recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Couple of eventful days with the Grand Vitara...

Sunday I discovered that my SIM had gone bad. I could receive sms/calls, but I couldn't make calls or send sms. No internet either. On Monday morning, I took off to the nearest Airtel office in Udupi. Suddenly, I notice that the engine light is staying on.

Oops! I can't even call anyone, or even message anyone. Do I drive towards Maruti workshop or continue towards Airtel office?

The engine sounds fine, I don't feel any difference in drive feel. Airtel office is a slight diversion from the workshop, so I decide to continue towards Airtel office. I park and enter the almost deserted Airtel office. After checking my number, the lady says Udupi Airtel office doesn't handle post-paid numbers. For that I have to go the Manipal Airtel office.

This is one more dilemma. Should I drive to Manipal (about 6 kms) with an engine light on? Finally I chickened out and took the autorickshaw to Manipal and got my SIM replaced. After I came back to Udupi same way, and then drove the Grand Vitara to Maruti workshop. They connected the laptop and discovered it was the oxygen sensor rising a flag. They cleared the flag and all looked good. However, the car was scheduled for service later this week, so we decided to check the oxygen sensor during that.

Tuesday I had religious duties assigned by the family, to help out with the Ganesh Chaturthi puja at our family's boota sthana. Those who have seen the movie Kantara would know about this. These are private shrines owned and managed by families over generations.

This is the view from the shrine...

Here is the shrine that was totally rebuilt few years ago. I had covered the opening event in another thread.

After the event, I had the chore of dropping off relatives and prasada to 6 homes including mine. The engine light had come back again, but this time I wasn't worried. However, as I stopped at the first home, I notice steam coming out of the bonnet. I ran out and open the bonnet. And this is what I see...

The green coolant was splattered all over, like the blood of Predator (the movie). The radiator cap and coolant tank cap looked intact. So, how did all the coolant get out? I quickly called my friend at the Maruti workshop and he asked me to locate the leak. I couldn't find it. Then he asked me to add water and see if it holds. So I opened the radiator cap (it was lukewarm) and filled it until the brim. But I saw it slowly drop and then hold. Then he asked me to drive it slowly while watching the temp gauge and drive it back home. This is something I have done a lot in my Jeeping days, where losing coolant hose was a regular event.

So, that is what I did. I visited 4 more homes dropping off prasada and finally reached home without any incident. I filled water two more times just to be safe, each time 1/2 water was needed. But the temp gauge was always at normal.

This needs to be sorted out when I drop it off for scheduled service.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

The quality of the seats, in terms of firmness, softness, and contouring, is top-notch in both rows.

BHPian autonmus_drivr recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

First Impressions of the Honda Elevate: Three days behind the wheel

Decision cycle:

After nearly a decade of faithful service from my Maruti Ertiga, I decided it was time for an upgrade. Safety, future-proofing, an automatic transmission, and a car that accommodated taller individuals were my top priorities. Last year, I had initially booked the XUV700 AX7L Petrol AT, but two concerns held me back: ongoing niggles and low fuel efficiency.

Earlier this year, I test-drove the 5th generation City and found it almost perfect, with the exception of headroom and ingress/egress. Then came the Honda Elevate, a car I'd been keeping a close eye on since its announcement. Thanks to the valuable insights and debates in this forum, I made my decision. And now, after completing the buying cycle, I'm here to share my initial experiences with the Honda Elevate ZX CVT, which I purchased from Whitefield Honda, Bangalore.

The Buying Experience:

The process of acquiring the car went relatively smoothly, with only a slight delay due to a recent bandh. I opted for basic accessories, a dash cam, and extended warranty. Since it was a weekday, there weren't many other deliveries, allowing my Sales Advisor to take the time to explain various settings and steering controls.

Special thanks to @nreddy for the advice about the car's fuel level. I wasted no time heading to the nearest COCO station to fuel up. The meter read 38.5L - should have been delivered with just 2 liters of fuel!

Observations About the Car:

I'm thoroughly enjoying my experience with the Elevate so far, and while my observations may not offer entirely new perspectives, here are a few insights:

Seat Comfort: The quality of the seats, in terms of firmness, softness, and contouring, is top-notch in both rows. However, I did notice that the driver's seat felt positioned quite low even in the lowest setting, leading to a knee-up position and less under-thigh support. Adjusting the seat height didn't make a significant difference. Nevertheless, at 6'3", I find my driving position comfortable, although I'll have a better sense of this during longer drives.

Engine Performance: The engine operates smoothly and quietly at city speeds. In fact, I found myself checking if the engine was running while parked. During quick accelerations from a standstill, it does make some noise, which quickly settles down. The sports mode offers a distinct, enjoyable sound, and the paddle shift adds an extra layer of fun. At 100 km/h, there was some noticeable tire noise inside the cabin, prompting me to consider switching to sports mode for overtaking on highways.

ADAS: The Lane Keep Assist feature works like a charm on well-marked roads during the daytime. I tried the adaptive cruise control once, but I admit I was a bit puzzled by the set/reset buttons. I received a collision warning on the dashboard twice, once when a scooter unexpectedly overtook me and again when I was at a safe distance from a moving bus on the highway. In both cases, I didn't feel the brakes engaging. The lane-watch camera is incredibly useful and has quickly become my most-used feature. While a 360-degree camera would have been nice, I may not miss it once I get accustomed to the car's dimensions.

Audio System: I'm impressed with the quality of the speakers, even as a casual listener. The ability to customize audio settings, including adjusting volume balance between front and rear rows, is a nice touch. Wireless Android Auto paired seamlessly, although I did notice my phone heating up during use on a couple of occasions.

Climate Control and Lighting: The AC system appears to do its job well, although ventilated seats would have been a welcomed addition. The headlight throw seems adequate for city driving, although I've yet to experience nighttime highway driving. The auto headlamps consistently function as expected.

Accessories:

• Basic Accessories: I could have saved a few thousand rupees by purchasing mats from an external source. However, some online options suggested by fellow BHPians had delivery lead times, and I didn't want to risk dirtying the carpet in the first few days.
• Dash Cam: I specifically chose to purchase the dash cam from the dealer to ensure that any electrical work could be covered under warranty. However, it's worth noting that it's currently plugged into the 12V socket!

Overall, I'm quite satisfied with my choice of the Honda Elevate so far. It's been an exciting three days of ownership, and I look forward to many more adventures with this impressive vehicle.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

Right after the TD of 1.0 AT Slavia, we took the 1.5L DSG, and the very first thing I felt improved was the creep function.

BHPian piyushkdwivedi recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Hello,

After an extended comparison and search hunt in Bengaluru, we've planned to book Slavia Style Automatic. This will be our second car after the Honda Amaze VX Manual Petrol 2020 model. The Honda Amaze is intended to be sold next month as my company lease is completing, and then Slavia would be our next lease car. But the big question in my head is 1.0L or 1.5L? Let me explain below.

Driving Background:

I've been driving for about seven years and love to take long drives, though being in Bengaluru, most of the commute has happened in traffic (yeah - the known Bengaluru traffic). The Honda Amaze has been a great car in terms of reliability and comfort. But when it came to performance, it severely needed more on highways. Maintaining a good 100-120 kmph speed had no issues in Amaze, but due to lesser torque, the pickup took ages to cope with that speed. This struggle was significantly higher when the car was loaded to maximum load.

After hitting the odometer of 40,000 km, the Honda Amaze is planned for sale soon. And with that, I started looking for our next car.

Requirement:

The comfort of Sedan has overtaken all the wishes of having mid-size SUVs. We drove one of our friends, the Kia Sonet, the Hyundai Venue and even the Creta (all in the auto gearbox), but at the end of the day, the Honda Amaze's comfort always felt home-like. My wife also supported me to go for a C-segment sedan. The Amaze needed more space in the boot and rear seat, though. In a nutshell, the following are our requirements:

• Primarily drive in Bengaluru city traffic for my wife and me.
• Automatic gearbox - I tire of handling manual Honda Amaze in Bengaluru's traffic. My wife also wants the convenience of Auto.
• Occasional long highway drives, including hill stations.
• We are absolutely OK with a four-seater; we are not so keen on a comfortable five-seater.
• Comfort is a preference.
• Performance is the hunger. I want something that will significantly uplift Honda Amaze Petrol's performance.
• Lucrative features are welcomed if performance and comfort are matched.
• Fuel mileage is not a serious concern, but good numbers are better.
• Since the subsequent lease is for four years only, I will keep the upcoming car only for four years - just like the Honda Amaze.

Next Car Shortlisting:

With the confidence of choosing a Sedan in a C-segment, our obvious choices are Honda City, VW Virtus, Skoda Slavia and Hyundai Verna.

Test Drive - Hyundai Verna:

After the launch of Verna, my wife and I were excited to look for a new Verna! But we immediately rejected the design of the car. Rest everything couldn't give us the courage to ignore the design and looks. Hence, no test drive was done, even though its 1.5L engine would be lucrative.

Test Drive - Honda City (CVT):

Oh god, Honda never disappoints. It has such an airy cabin and comfortable ride quality. Undoubtedly, it's the best in this price bracket for rear seat comfort. My wife and I sat in the rear seat and asked the sales executive to drive. The cabin felt like a 30L premium car. But when I sat in the driving seat, the instrument cluster and centre console didn't give a 'new car' feeling like I came from a Honda Amaze. It's all the same as the Honda Amaze with better touch/feel of buttons & steering.

The engine was undoubtedly better and gave me an uplifted feeling. Still, when I took it to Old Madras (Hoskote) highway in Bengaluru, the CVT felt like a Honda Activa in acceleration. It was smooth but less peppy than I thought in Turbo drives from my friend's cars. The design of the Honda City also feels dated now. Hence, we made up our mind to try something other than Honda!
The lucrative thing here is ADAS. But we don't need it over the Turbo engine.

Test Drive - Skoda Slavia (1.0L AT):

We visited Raja Skoda in KR Puram, Bengaluru, and the moment we entered, we saw a Crystal Blue in the front. My wife and I literally saw each other and blushed. It is such a beautifully designed and lengthy car. We sat inside and checked out everything.

• The display car had an 8-inch display, and the music quality was better than Honda City, but Verna had a better feel of music. Slavia's music became great after setting the bass and treble to maximum. Anyway, the music quality is acceptable in this case.
• After checking out Honda City, the rear seat in Slavia felt slightly compact, but since this car is intended for my wife and me, it wasn't a deal breaker. Slavia is a four-seater only as the plastic cover touches the elbow at the corners of the rear seat near the door, which was a cushion in Honda City. This would make the passengers at the rear uncomfortable if a third person sits in between.
• The ride handling was outstanding when we drove it on an approximately 40 km stretch. Breaks were sharp and needed me to learn initially.
• Something I didn't like was the eagerness of the car to launch from a standstill whenever I lifted the break-paddle.
• Whenever I floored the accelerator paddle, there was significant 3-cylinder engine noise with a grunt sound. This was much better than Tata Nexon's 1.2L turbo 3-cylinders, though.
• When I was trailing in traffic, bonnet to bonnet, I felt the car struggled to keep the RPM and needed extra throttle to get in a comfortable range.
• The AC performance is good, but where I keep 22 degrees in Honda Amaze, I need to keep 19 degrees in Slavia. Then, cooling matches. But when I used to keep 18 degrees in Amaze, I didn't know what I do in Slavia!

Test Drive - Skoda Slavia (1.5L DSG):

Right after the TD of 1.0 AT Slavia, we took the 1.5L DSG, and the very first thing I felt improved was the creep function. The car moved slowly after lifting its brakes, whereas 1.0L AT was dangerously aggressive during creep. I tried hard to move the 1.0L, only centimetre-centimetre, but I couldn't. 1.5L DSG would definitely be better to close the gaps in bonnet-to-bonnet traffic.

• The car was as smooth as Honda's i-vtec on the highway, probably due to the 4-cylinders.
• I couldn't get the TD long enough to convey the difference between 1.0L AT and 1.5 DSG. But it was clear that 1.5L DSG would be easier to cruise on the highway without the grunt vibrations of 1.0L.
• I was frequently getting 2-cylinder mode even in city drive. During that, the instant fuel consumption was consistently above 18 kmpl. This was really good, considering I can manage light foot throttle if needed.

Test Drive - VW Virtus (1.0 AT):

We got a test drive of the Virtus after leaving the Skoda showroom and felt that the black alloys and seats of 1.5 GT variants were not to our taste. 1.0L Topline felt attractive, though. Hence, we didn't take a 1.5 DSG test drive. Rest everything was almost similar to Slavia.

The suspension comfort on the flyover joints was slightly better managed in Slavia, but my wife didn't feel this much.

The Slavia's dashboard looked slightly better to us.

There aren't any significant reasons to reject Virtus, but we decided to go ahead with Slavia because of two reasons:

• Slavia's Crystal Blue or Lava Blue colours are our choice. The front grill is also attractive. Virtus's blues couldn't get our attention. Mind it - Virtus's Lava Blue differs from Slavia's Lava Blue (I don't know why!).
• Slavia has better discounts every month compared to Virtus.

Now, the big question: Should we go with Skoda Slavia 1.0 AT or 1.5 DSG?

• It's a difference of almost INR 2 lakhs. Is the 1.5L so worth to spend that money?
• The drive is mainly in the city, with two passengers. Would this still be an excellent choice to go with 1.5L?
• I am petrified of DSG's woes. Is it a good idea to take that risk?
• Can the DSG failure be covered in insurance (whatsoever rider if needed)?
• I need to sell Slavia after four years. So which one will give better resale value?
• Regarding fuel economy, if the 2-cylinder mode is inactive, is 1.5 DSG not at all worth in city traffic?
• Since I am looking for car delivery in early December 2023 (as my current lease ends in Nov 2023), will I get better discounts on 1.5L to make the price difference smaller with 1.0L AT?

I will pick a Lava Blue colour in 1.0 AT or 1.5 DSG. When enquired, a few dealers said that the chrome garnish kit and the door logo projector are included in the ex-showroom price, but a few declined this. Is there any cheating going to happen here?

Please help me choose the right one!

Thanks, Piyush.

Here's what BHPian MotorDev had to say on the matter:

Hello, we own a Slavia 1.5 DSG and would be happy to help answer your queries.

Q1: Is the 1.5L engine worth the extra cost of almost INR 2 lakhs?

A1: Yes, it's definitely worth it. The 1.5L engine with the DSG transmission provides a smooth and powerful driving experience.

Q2: I mainly drive in the city with two passengers. Is the 1.5L still a good choice?

A2: It's an excellent choice for city driving, offering a smooth experience. However, DSG gearbox reliability in city traffic can be a concern.

Q3: I'm worried about potential issues with the DSG transmission. Is it a risk worth taking?

A3: Yes, although it's worth considering that there might be at least one failure over time, the overall driving experience makes it worth the risk.

Q4: Can insurance cover the DSG failure?

It varies; some have claimed insurance while others paid out of pocket. It depends on your luck.

Q5: Which one will have a better resale value after four years?

Resale value depends on current market trends, but keeping a high-end variant for only four years might not justify the investment.

Q6: Is the 1.5 DSG worth it for city traffic if the 2-cylinder mode is inactive?

Yes, even without the 2-cylinder mode, the 1.5 DSG performs well and returns good mileage (11.5 km/l B2B) in city traffic.

Q7: Will I get better discounts on the 1.5L model for early December 2023 delivery?

Discounts vary by dealer and negotiation skills.

Q8: Are the chrome garnish kit and door logo projector included in the ex-showroom price for the Lava Blue colour?

Despite what some dealers say, the extra accessories are included in the ex-showroom price for the Lava Blue colour. You can show them the below picture for clarification:

Here's what BHPian rahul_jo had to say on the matter:

I've asked this very thing multiple times on this forum and even spoke about this with folks offline.

I spoke to someone who drove his Slavia quite aggressively from the beginning and has already accumulated over 30,000 kilometers.

Drag races, consistent random acceleration at every possible opportunity and no reported issues so far.

He loves to take off hard and brake even harder whenever there is an empty stretch.

When I pointed out that he should go easy on the engine. He chuckled and said, what is the point of buying a quick car when you can't even enjoy it.

He said - "The harder you drive it, the longer it'll last".

Can't agree much with the last line, however, so far (touch wood). This new updated DSG doesn't seem to have the old issues.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

On highway runs I had noted that even on highest setting headlight throw was poor

BHPian Neurodoc recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

15000 km update Honda City ZX CVT:

Car had its ups and downs in last 15000kms, had to visit service centre due to multiple issues (will describe each briefly).

Roofliner rattling:

Three months into ownership was having rattling sound from roofliner and visited ASC three time to settle it. Finally last visit after stern warning they opened sunroof switchs and cabin light switches and filled it with foam. Finally no more sound from roof but left rear door i can hear some sounds.

Steering pull to the left side:

Last month car was in service centre for 10 days for same and they finally diagnosed it as subframe issue. I had to mail higher ups to get things done on time, after refitting subframe somehow issue has been resolved.

Poor headlight throw:

On highway runs I had noted that even on highest setting headlight throw was poor, visited ASC but they told there is nothing can be done to ZX LEDs. Tried DIY as suggested by fellow BHPian in forum and upon adjusting screws under bonnet can see much more better in nights.

First body paint work:

Car had accumulated minor dents and scratches on left fender and door, finally took the plunge and got it done under insurance. Whole process was smooth and colour match is perfect. Planning to get bumper changed within next month for dents and minor hole in bumper (some idiot bike fellow hit stationary vehicle from front)

I have started enjoying car more once roofliner rattling is gone and got some good contacts in local ASC due to recurrent visits. Now they pick my car free of cost and drop it back.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

Looking at the damage, I was expecting my car to be out of action for atleast a month.

BHPian fordfreak recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Not updated this thread in almost 3 years, as there wasn’t anything exceptional to write. Overall the City has been a fuss free car for us and has served us well. I still find it hard to imagine that the City has been with us for over seven and a half years!

Since the pandemic, our City’s role has changed quite a bit. It has become our office vehicle – serving as a pick-up / drop vehicle for our staff, doing some local deliveries, deliveries to transporter offices, etc., along with some home duties too. ODO is currently at about 71,500 kms.

Mechanically, the car is still solid. The engine and gearbox are still trouble free and there is no drop in performance since the day we took delivery. A few minor niggles had cropped up, but were sorted under Honda’s ‘Anytime Warranty’ (malfunctioning horn x twice and wing mirror motor). With our usage being 100% in heavy city traffic, the clutch has started to feel slightly hard, but still got life left in it. The suspension may need some TLC in another 10,000 km or so, I feel, but still good to go.

Rust was an issue I had mentioned before and it has continued to be an issue. Got all the rusted portions on the body repaired in June, 2023. Car came back looking spanking new. Hope the rust stays in check for a longer period of time though.

Unfortunately, my car’s uneventful routine changed on the 19th of August. While waiting at a red light, we got rear ended hard by a hired government vehicle (1st gen Swift Dzire). There was a biker behind us who got hit first and then the Dzire hit our car. The biker escaped without a scratch thankfully, while his bike was partially sandwiched between our car and the Dzire. Long story short, the Dzire driver got a sound beating and the matter got settled with the help of the police (who were very supportive!).

Looking at the damage, I was expecting my car to be out of action for atleast a month. But from the day I handed it over to the authorized service center (Pinnacle Honda), my car was back with me within 12 days! The quality of repairs performed was also top notch.

A shoutout to the staff at Pinnacle Honda, who have always been extremely prompt in every interaction. My car is also serviced by them, and I’ve not had any major reason to complain. The body shop advisor was a pleasure to deal with and kept me informed every step of the way. I did not have to ring a single time to request an update! Highly appreciate their consistently good service!

Relieved that no one was injured in this entire saga and also happy to have my car back in perfect working order once again. No plans of changing the City for the foreseeable future. Hoping for many more comfortable drives in her!

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

I wanted to be sure that the car handled well since I am someone who takes corners hard.

BHPian athray9 recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Introduction:

I had moved to United States in 2020 January from Chennai to pursue my Masters. Being a student, I couldn’t afford to get my own car. I completed my masters in 2021 December, successfully graduated and ended up getting a dream job. So I could finally afford my own car.

Being an enthusiast, I was clear that I needed a fun to drive car. I wanted to go the used car route and get a fun to drive manual car but it was that time during semi conductor shortage where the used car prices were so high that it made no sense to get one. So I decided to go the new car route.

Few things I realized after living in the USA for two years were:

• The roads here are LONG and STRAIGHT for most part.
• The roads are not great for most part with many undulations and expansion joints.
• Everything is far away, meaning you need to drive your car even to get basic groceries.
• You cannot get anything in small size, the smallest milk can you could purchase is 1/2 gallon = ~1.9 liters.
• You can have fun Canyons to drive but you won’t hit them everyday.

Based on these, I decided to change my requirements accordingly.

Requirements:

• It had to be FUN TO DRIVE, which meant the basic necessity was to have at least ~200 bhp, 300 NM of torque and handle well. I was open to sedans and SUVs.
• Comfortable enough for daily commute and weekend trips.
• I am 5’11 in height, so the rear seat had to be spacious enough to accommodate a person of my height behind me.
• Basic tech such as CarPlay, good stereo since I am an audiophile, Cruise Control was a must, ACC not a necessity but good to have.
• I live in Colorado and winters are brutal here, so I needed AWD and heated seats.
• Steering had to be quick to react with good feedback, I was fine with the steering being light at low speeds but wanted it to weigh up at high speeds, I am never a fan of steerings that artificially weighed up with no feedback.
• I wanted good low end torque in a way where if I gave more throttle, the car had to do it in the same gear instead of a downshift unless I had given more than 50% of the throttle.
• The gearbox had to react quick when I needed a downshift but I did not want to it to react with a downshift for every little throttle input.
• Preferably German with a budget of $50K (USD).

The hunt began:

VW Tiguan:

Test drove the car with 2.0 TSI, 190 bhp and 320 Nm of torque, I liked exterior with the R-Line package looked sporty and the facelift interiors also looked good with quality materials. I was not the biggest fan of the new AC controls but that was not the deal breaker. The biggest deal breaker was the engine. The car somehow felt underpowered for US roads, which made it a deal breaker.

Ford Escape:

Test Drove the 2.0 Eco Boost with 250 bhp and 380 Nm of torque, the exterior of the car didn’t look sporty at all, the interior of the car were practical, but they badly needed an upgrade. The top of the line model came with upgraded B&O speakers. I test drove the car felt it powerful enough. All of the power and torque were felt, but the gearbox was slow to react. Sport mode was just too sharp and there was this weird delay when with the throttle which again became a deal breaker.

BMW 330i:

My mom has a 320d G20 in India, and I drove it for an entire month in India just before test driving the 330i in USA, so I kind of knew what to expect. The white 330i MSport that I test drove had all equipment that I wanted. It was my first time driving the 2.0 I4 engine from BMW which had 255bhp and 400 Nm of torque. It felt plenty powerful with a nice exhaust note pumped through the speakers. Now some people may not agree with this but the exhaust note pumped inside the cabin through the speaker felt really good and does not feel fake to me. One difference I noted was the steering of the 330i Sport was much heavier than my mom’s 320d. The car had 19 inch wheels and was lower to the ground compared to Indian model which made the handling feel even better than the already great handling 320d. I was sold on this particular car and started negotiating with the dealer and the final number was given to me.

BMW M340i:

I did not test drive this car but it did not fit my budget, so I decided against it.

BMW X3 30i:

I am big fan of the way the LCI looks, especially from the back. So I was sold on the looks already. I loved the 12 inch screen which had one of the best resolutions I had seen in a car. It had the same engine as the 330i but had lesser power and torque at 248 bhp and 350 Nm torque. After test driving the car, I felt the difference in power and torque compared to the 330i due to extra weight and height, but still it felt powerful enough. The biggest surprise was the handling of the X3, it felt like it can about 75% of 330i handling with 50% more body roll, but also being 50% more comfortable. I was sold on this car as well. I sat down with the dealer and he gave me the final number.

BMW X3M40i:

The dealer offered me a test drive in the X3 M40i 2021 model. This is my first time driving a 6-cylinder. The car came with 358 bhp and 500 Nm of torque. I was blown away by the amount of power it had and the kind of handling it offered for a car of that height. But I decided not to go ahead with it since it was about $14K more. (BIGGEST REGRET).

Alfa Romeo Stelio:

I was really temped to get this car but spending all my hard earned money on a car for which I’ve heard horror stories did not encourage me to even visit the showroom.

Dilemma:

This was a very big dilemma. I was confused between two amazing machines and you cannot go wrong with either. There was one other issue with availability due to semi conductor shortage, there were not many cars available. There was on 330i MSport in white color which had most of the basic equipment I needed in the inventory. If I placed a new order, I had to wait for 4 months and there was no new incoming 330i for the next 3 months. There was a Phytonic Blue X3 30i Sport with similar level equipment in transit.

So the options were a 2022 BMW 330i xDrive with MSport kit in Alpine White or a 2022 X3 30i Msport xDrive with MSport kit in Phytonic Blue. They both differed by $3600.

What I liked in 330i during the time of purchase:

• In my books, it is the best looking sedan which inculcates the 3 box shape so well.
• I preferred Alpine White more to Phytonic blue.
• Felt more powerful and handled much better than the X3.
• The exhaust note pumped in through the speaker was very nice which was not present in the X3.
• The rear seat was decent enough for a car of this size.

What I liked in X3 30i during the time of purchase:

• The X3 looked sporty with the MSport kit.
• The car was more comfortable and spacious compared to 330i.
• The 12 inch screen was much better than the 8 inch in 330i.
• The car handled very well for its height.
• I was getting more value out of the car for $3600 more than the 330i.
• Colorado has winter for 6 months which meant dealing with snow, an SUV made more sense coupled with such conditions.

After thinking a lot and discussing at home back in India, I fixed my mind on the X3 30i but I wanted to do one last test drive of the car before booking it. I wanted to be sure that the car handled well since I am someone who takes corners hard. I drove the car around a corner and I got more reassurance that I doing the right thing since the car just handled so well. I decided to go ahead with the X3 30i xDrive with the MSport Kit in Phytonic Blue color as the first car that I am going to purchase with my own money !!!

First time seeing my car:

The car was supposed to arrive on March 25th, but mom had informed me that the auspicious day was March 30th which was decided as the delivery day. On March 25th morning, I get a call from the dealer that my car had arrived. Unable to control my excitement, I went to check the car out on the same day evening. The dealership was 1 hour away from my house. I reached the dealership and spotted the car as soon as I entered. I was fortunate enough to unwrap the car completely. The car looked amazing with MSport package. The ODO had 5 miles in it.

Delivery Day::

The most special day had come. It was a working day, mom had informed me to take delivery between 4:30 PM to 5:30 PM. I arrived to the dealership at 3:30 PM, finished all of my paper work and the car was placed in the delivery bay completely detailed. I did PDI looking at Team-BHP checklist. 

I took delivery of the car at on March 30th 5:22PM. Car had 7 miles on the ODO. It was one of the most exciting days ever. I was driving the car carefully from the showroom to the temple which was 90 miles away and took me two hours because it was peak hour and traffic was insane until I reached the inside roads near the temple road. Few things I instantly enjoyed during my drive were the good low end torque, amazing insulation, slightly stiff ride quality, great to hold MSport steering and the amazing resolution on the 12 inch screen. I put 140 miles (225 kms) just in one day.

Continue reading on BHPian athray9's BMW X3 for BHPian comments, insights and more information.

I cleaned up some of the fluid, and since then, I've driven about 120 kilometers.

BHPian dijkstraind recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

I own a Brezza torque converter automatic, which I purchased two months ago. I've driven a total of 800 kilometers so far, and the first service has already been completed. Yesterday, while traveling from Bangalore to a destination 250 kilometers away, I opened the bonnet(don't know why) and noticed pink, oily fluid on multiple components. I've attached some pictures for reference. I cleaned up some of the fluid, and since then, I've driven about 120 kilometers. To my observation, the same amount of fluid remains on the same components, suggesting no new fluid leak. I also had a local mechanic inspect it, but he couldn't identify the source of the issue. Notably, there are no warning lights illuminated on the MID.Please note that yesterday was the first time I drove my car at high speed, with the maximum reaching 120 km/h. The car didn't go beyond 120 km/h even with the pedal fully depressed.

Could someone please assist me in understanding what this mysterious fluid might be, and do I need to urgently visit the service center?

PS: I am not a new driver, I have done 60,000 KM on my previous car with manual transmission.

Here's what BHPian shankar.balan had to say on the matter:

Pink oily Fluid cannot be coolant. Coolant isnt oily.

To me, sight unseen, I think it can possibly be a brake fluid leak OR ATF leak. No other possibility comes to mind.

Please have the car taken immediately to the service centre and start a thorough investigation. Also keep a check on your insurance. Being a brand new it probably covers all critical Components, engine and gearbox and all.

Here's what BHPian NomadSK had to say o the matter:

This looks like a coolant leakage/splash and has been stagnant there for a long time before it was observed.

Check underside of the bonnet, do you have pink fluid splashes or marks there too ? If yes, it could be a leakage in the coolant from some of the hoses/joint, since it’s a closed loop pressurized system and getting splashed in various directions. However, as car is almost new, I’m ruling out any wear and tear issue related to the hose.

Another way to troubleshoot is to run your car and check the radiator/cooling system while it’s in hot condition. Any leakage would be visible. Check for the rubber hose connections to the engine and radiator for indications of any leakage.

Also check the overflow container of the coolant and the lid is properly closed, but coming out from there is a least possibility unless there is physical damage to the plastic container or the lid is loose, which any mechanic would have checked in the first place.

Here's what BHPian anjan_c2007 had to say on the matter:

Please check you brake master cylinder and brake oil level on the top up bowl. More of leakage is dangerous and could affect your brake's performance. Presently please keep a brake oil refill bottle to top up everytime you see the level dropping below minimum.

And your Brezza needs to go to the service centre at the earliest to get its brake master cylinder and the system thoroughly checked.

Here's what BHPian shancz had to say on the matter:

Find out what's pink in the car, typically coolants of OAT/HOAT types are pink, more info in Vishy76's thread (Types of Coolants and debunking myths associated with grades & colours).

Apart from that brake fluids could be reddish in colour. No idea about the ATF.

I am going with a coolant leak/spray under the occasional high load driving hypothesis.

Probably due to the coolant reservoir cap or the radiator cap not closed properly or a puncture/leak in the coolant hose. Thankfully this is easy to check and rule out.

Check your coolant reservoir for loss of fluid, a misaligned cap(green) or any punctures. Also check if the radiator cap(next to the coolant reservoir cap) is properly closed. Instructions are marked on the cap itself.

The pink circle in the image below is the reservoir cap(green), check if its closed properly. It usually(not sure if its the same in Brezza) has an arrow mark on the cap and one on the reservoir below which should be aligned:

PS :

I once had green liquid exactly on the location you've marked on the battery and around the coolant reservoir. As expected the mechanic hadn't aligned/closed the reservoir cap properly and when the pressure was high enough it would've sprayed the coolant around. When I checked the cap was misaligned by barely a centimetre.

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Like many have mentioned before, the view with the bonnet stretching out in front of you is an immensely satisfying one.

BHPian capnemo recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Just took a test-drive of the Elevate from Dakshin Honda, Hosur road Bangalore and my quick observations after a test drive of the Elevate ZX CVT.

Seating position, Space and visibility:

I'm 5'8" and it did take me some time to find my ideal seating position. You almost walk and slide into the car seat and I felt ingress/egress would be good for senior citizens as well.

The seats felt well-cushioned, but I would have liked a bit more under-thigh support and lumbar support. Especially the later was a bit more discernible as soon as I started driving.

Visibility all around is great. Like many have mentioned before, the view with the bonnet stretching out in front of you is an immensely satisfying one.

However, the space offered is ostensibly lesser than on the Seltos. The Seltos' panoramic sunroof, width on offer and the quality of the interiors uplifts the entire ambience of the cabin to a degree that the Elevate will never be able to.

Plastics, interior quality:

The VX was on display and it did feel a step down in terms of interior quality of plastics - hard plastics abound. The ZX with it's leatherette finish felt much better. But, we checked out the City ZX as well and it felt far better than the Elevate in terms of the soft touch materials and the general roominess of the cabin due to the lighter colors.

I am not sure whether there is any correlation between the door's thud sound and the actual build quality, but the Elevate's doors felt far slightly heavier and closed with a reassuring thud, more so than the Maruti-Toyota cousins. Here again, I felt the City's doors were thicker and slightly heavier than the Elevate.

The CVT drive selector however, felt crude and plasticky to operate. Perhaps long term use might make it smoother, who knows !

Drive and ride quality:

The engine was very silent upon start. Upon hard acceleration, the rubber band effect was evident, and the engine noise filters inside the cabin, throwing all impressions of good NVH out of the window. It settles down quickly though and to me, it didn't feel like gaining speeds were an agonizing wait away. The roads were empty though so for overtakes, plan you must ! That also meant I couldn't test how resistant the cabin insulation is, to outside vehicle and traffic noise.

Here's the clincher though. Once the engine realizes it needs to attain higher speeds, the way the Elevate gained those speeds and it's stability at speeds above 80 kmph speeds felt extremely confidence inspiring.

And at lower speeds, the high ground clearance meant that you don't have to think twice about crossing ungainly speed breakers and deep potholes. What a relief on the roads of Bangalore !

Extended warranty for an additional 2 years comes at around 19k and seems like a steal.

One thing that I was pondering about, was the terrific value proposition of the vehicle, especially if a Bangalore resident gets a BH series registration from outside and avoids the humongous 3L up-front Karnataka road tax.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

My dad decided to follow the "western culture" and decided to buy a beater car for me.

BHPian shreesan23 recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Owning multiple cars in a family is usually predominant in western culture. In india, even families with 4 or 5 members are satisfied with one sedan, or an suv. Owning two cars is highly impractical in today's day and age, with the fuel prices going north of 100 bucks.

In such a scenario, my dad decided to follow the "western culture" and decided to buy a beater car for me. My dad's Nissan Kicks is his queen and he rarely lets me behind the wheel. With lot of nagging and begging, my dad decided that it is best to let me beat the living hell out of a beater car, before earning the rights to drive his car.

The sweet irony here is that, the family consists of 3 people. I am the only person who has to go out everyday, with my dad polishing the chair. IT, wfh, you get the idea.

My run is generally 60 kms a week. With some short extra drives and whatnot. Its the same route, same destination, same time. AkA, College.

In short, this is the background. The thing that seemed unnecessary, churlish and expensive, turned out to be necessary, unchurlish and comparatively cheaper.

I actually wanted a nice bike. Like those FZ-X, Classic 350 or even Pulsar for that matter. Doctor ruled out riding bikes and my dad decided to look for a second hand car. After about half a year of searching (nonchalantly), i spied upon this spinny spinoff, Truebil. Long story short, I noticed this A-Star VXi in pristine condition for a price that was way under budget. At 1.8 lakhs and some change, i drove the 13 year old car home.

The car odo read 70k kms and for the day and age, it was very well maintained. I twisted the key and drove 20 kilometres, alone, for the first time ever. After that, i have never looked back.

This was roughly 6 months ago. The journey has been full of ups and downs. I picked up a pen (my laptop) many times to write a comprehensive review. Something or the other always kept interrupting.

I also had a lot of doubts as to where to park this thread. I cannot give a new car review. I cannot give a long term ownership review since ive had it only for ~6 months.

That is when it hit me. Can i not open a new thread, for beater cars alone? A review for second hand cars that are as old as mine. I recently read about an octavia that a fellow youngster like me managed to purchase. With the rising number of youngsters in this group and whatnot, i think this thread would fit in perfectly and one day, with enough content, i think this can become a sub forum by itself !!

And now, onto mine.

Mine is, as i said before, Maruti Suzuki A-star, VXi, non ABS version. It is a manual since i wanted some form of mechanical connection to the car and that it is the best form of driving (except for B2B traffic).

It has a 1 litre engine that spits out 66 and some change horses and is by no means the fastest on the road.

I got the sunlight copper that only gets better with age. One colour that MS nailed, is this sunlight copper. We previously owned a Swift with the same colour and i absolutely loved it.

The rest of the spec can be easily sourced and learnt with the aid of Google. This one is aimed at the long term reliability. You see, there are many reviews that say

"I dont know how it will hold up 10 years in the future"

Right now, it is 10 years in the future.

With that rampant rant, let us get into a detailed description/review/likes/dislikes/niggles/quirks etc of this car.

Up first,

Performance:

By now, everyone would be familiar with the K series of Maruti, with the increasingly boring engines today. But back then, the K10 series packed something of a punch. All forms of environment issues were put on back seat while these engines delivered raw torque. Of course, not your F1 torque, not even your S-cross 1.6 ddis torque. The type of torque that lets you push ahead of any modern day car, in a drag pull.

I am not joking. I am not fibbing. This one houses the K10B engine, that has an increased compression ratio of 11 to 1. Now, i dont know what that means. I do know that combined with the low weight of the car, acceleration and low end torque is something that is not to be missed.

All this is superficial. Does it hold up today? Yes. Even today, in the right gear, lower ones, pushing the A surges the car forward. Ive had cases where i decided to gap a Hybrid Brezza on a short stretch. The Brezza however, overtook me when the torque fun ended. This one is best for quick city drives and short bursts of power. In the highway, where the displacement matters, this one lacks.

I have not had a chance to go on long drives. The longest ones are reserved at 20km journey with 5 km of open roads, intermittently. I couldnt test the highway capability. But with the short experience i could fathom that the car gets to 90 pretty quickly, but has trouble going upwards or staying there. The car was settled, but you dont get the confidence you get from a newer car.

And oh, combined with the lack of ABS and Airbags, it is usually heart in the mouth situation.

The car has a lot of low end torque as i previously mentioned, yet, it refuses to pick up at times, without the aid of the A. This might be the age issue and the fact that it is 70k kms old. But it is what it is, for the price. However, this is very rare. Given the actual low end torque i have been able to pick the car up from ridiculously low speeds. You can practically crawl and move the car from a stand still in the second gear itself. The third gear also has enough surge to pull from as low as 20. The fourth gear is when the engine starts to run out of huff as the power in 4th and 5th is barely noticeable. I use the 5th gear in the city only if i have a long coasting situation. Acceleration is practically null in 5th gear. If you have to reach 90 or 100 without having to depend on the last gear, you will have to shift a little late and push the car a bit. I wouldnt say it is a sedate car. Its just that the car wont do anything to surprise you, unless you do something first.

Mileage has gone to waste. With my daily 10km of running, i manage to scrape 12 or 13 per litre. Given the major chunk of B2B traffic, it sometimes drops to 10. I must say however, it never goes below 10.

As far as the noise, vibration and harshness is concerned. Yes, Yes and Yes. Come what may, Noise will tear your ears. This engine is by no means refined. It vibrates like hell and growls like a bear. All this is on the inside. On the outside, i have been surprised by the lack of noise. I once let the car idle when i stepped out and heard nothing. And that was after a pretty hard run too. I mean, it seems the definition of comfort has been altered.

But then in between all this, i have begun to like the note. In the middle gears, the sound mimics that of a classic muscle, albeit weakly. It is kinda good, when you have the windows down.

Shifting is smooth. The gearbox is by no means slick. It is hard and sometimes it does not fall into place. Tying two logs together sometimes requires lesser force. The problem however is only with the 1st and Reverse. Otherwise it is smooth.

Hard, smooth? As in, the shifting part sometimes gets stuck in places and a little bit of effort is required to push it into the slot. But then, the gear rarely falls out of place. Rarely, the R falls out, giving that big grinding noise.

The brakes are, there. Nothing great, nothing bad. It does the work and that is it. I have found it a bit too hard at times. Surprisingly, the brakes hold up even today. I dont know if some sort of replacement or repair was done before my purchase, but the performance is good. Works well even in wet situations. The lack of ABS, although alarming, has never found a way to creep into a real incident. Even at high speeds (read as 45 or 50, very rarely 60, if i am in a jolly mood, 70), i have braked hard to a complete stop without the horrible screeching noise, which makes me question the model. It was pointed out that doing this is highly dangerous in a non ABS model, so i manually pump the brakes intermittently, if i am ever in a similar situation (which was only once after.)

Handling is not bad. The steering wheel is extremely light and going from my car to my dad's feels like driving a truck. There is some understeer in tight curves at 40-50, but nothing that a little bit of engine braking will fail to manage. Didnt change the tyres, they do have tread, so i will change them once they wear out. As of now, they are grippy and only once i felt lack of grip. That is alright though.

You can very easily drive this car with one hand. And the size of the horn ...plate? and the stalk orientation helps.

I would have loved it if the gear ratios are a bit more refined, coming from new cars. For example, the 2nd and 3rd gear are so overlapping that, it is next to impossible to correctly guess which one is the right gear for the scenario. Of course, there is a major power change, but 3rd also pulls from 20, 2nd also pulls from 20 without too much rattle. I am just a newb, maybe that is how it is supposed to work. It is often a question between too much power and too less power.

Something a bit more recent. In Chennai, there is a 40kmph restriction everywhere. The problem is, i have to upshift really early, to be able to coast in the 4th gear, at 40. Otherwise, 3rd gear has too much power/ high rpm, causing the car to start braking using the engine. It is a trouble and a half.

Speaking about engine braking, i rely quite a lot on engine braking if i am on big roads or roads with minimal traffic. I am not really sure if it is good for the engine. I wouldnt rate mine as excessive engine braking, but i would be lying if i said i use it minimally.

And did i mention, this car can launch out of a corner, if you can shift down before the corner at the right moment to get the rpm down enough. If it is right, the car just yeets itself out of the corner.

End of the day, this car can do both. Sedate driving if the day is mundane, fun driving if the music is fast. I dont know about this, but i heard a particular 1L turbo venue was giving mileage in single digits. Compared to that and other similar 1L turbo cars, i should say that it is a fair tradeoff for me.

Also there is no tachometer. So for the first few weeks i had to rely on the speeds and depend on engine behaviour to know when to shift. I would recommend this for new manual drivers. This has helped me drive any type of car, without having to rely on the dash. With 5 minutes of information gathering, i am able to shift at the right time without having to look down.

Interior:

Well, the interior is drab. It is the dumbest combo of two tone ever. Atleast for me. Surprisingly, the garnishes show no signs of wear and tear or discolouration. Thats a win. The knobs for the Air Conditioner are physical dial types that you find even today in entry level MS cars. The hazard lights button is placed at the bottom. I should commend the ideas of the design team that thought of this completely inefficient placing.

There are no cup holders on the side of the front doors, which i deem to be a stupid decision. I always keep a water bottle with me, in case the car requires it and now, it is in the back seat. Kind of lame design choice. There are two cup holders in front of the gear box. That one is also completely useless. If you keep anything bigger than your local tea cup, it will block the gear shift and the inner cubicle. They could have removed it and kept something else there.

This is one thing that feels like "features on paper". There is a hollow segment on the passenger side which is supposed to be a "mini dash" as such. Of course, yesterday's nokia phones would have had a party in the amount of space available, but today's samsungs would have to cram in and worry about falling. You could keep just about anything, but one tap of the Brake pedal and those things would experience what falling feels like. A small lip would have helped a ton.

Coming to the AC. It is busted. It was working when i bought it and then slowly, it lost force and then finally it gave out. I am looking to replace the condenser, based on a report given by the MAS service techie. When it was working, the cooling was efficient. On a warm day, level 2 chilled the cabin quickly. On a sunny day, the AC struggled. At level 4 it is just noise. Again, at the time of launch, weather was not as horrible.

Onto the seats. They also have this weird geometric dual tone cover. I am liking this dual tone concept as such in a mid variant car. Today, dual tone is something that is mostly reserved for higher variants. However, the choice of black and grey seems a bit dull. The seat is not very comfy, underthigh support is non existent and in the 6 months of ownership, i have never placed my rear end in the back seats. Based on passenger reports, it is not a jolly place to be in either. It does the job and nothing more. There is a bit of throwing around but it is not out of hand. Given the FWD and torque-ey engine, i would expect nothing less.

The seats are showing signs of age, nothing out of the ordinary. Once i get some time, i am thinking of replacing the cover, or installing those off market ventilated covers. I have no idea how it is going to ventilate a normal seat, but then, it is cheap and comes in a variety of colours.

The car has full power windows and this surprised me when i looked at the car for the first time. When my dad said he was getting me a car, i mentally prepared myself for the incessant cranking of windows. This was a sweet bonus. The right side rear window gets stuck at times however. Its usually me in the car. Occassionaly i drop a few of my friends. The rear seat is often unused, so yeah.

Central lock, works. I dont use it. Given the fact that the car is so old and the fact that there are no airbags, i dont want to waste precious seconds if (god forbid) something happens. I lock it if there are kids in the car. That is it.

If you read the reviews, you should recall that in many C2 cars, the sentence.

"The rear seat can host two healthy adults and a kid" appears frequently. In this one, remove the two healthy adults. The back row can host kids. Not even your adolescent freakbombs that grow up a foot everytime you blink. I am talking about the sweet sub 12 kids. Forget two healthy adults, even malnourished adults wont be able to fit in, given the very low knee room. Only the ones that are vertically cursed, may be able to fit in.

Boot. I have no idea how many Aquafinas (litres) it can hold. But then, for a small car the boot is alright. I rarely use the boot because i am the only one who uses the car. Even if there is another passenger, the rear seats act as boot and that is it. I am yet to load up the car but then for a small family, two or three suitcases and two travel bags should fill the boot.

Driveability:

This is not a usual segment when it comes to reviews. I am still learning how to drive and i thought, this would be a good segment to convey how well the car can manoeuvre around town.

Like i said, this is a tiny car. I have taken this car through the tiniest of roads. I have parked it in the most unimaginable places. All you need is 3.5m long space and 2 metres wide spot and you can just crawl in easily. This car also turns like a champ. Not the smallest, but i was hardly forced to do a 2 point u-turn.

This is the perfect car to learn to drive. It is not sporty and does not jump at every tap. You need to master the car to be able to do that. Parking is easy, so you dont have to question your life choices while trying to parallel park. (I was in and out in a second. Didnt have to shift between R and 1 multiple times)

Sometimes, due to its tiny size, bigger cars don't care. But, this car has one of those huge trumpet like double horn, confusing people into thinking that this is a van of sorts. In the end, people move out of the way and the horn gets through the headphones of jaywalkers, so im happy.

Steering feel is something that i wanted to talk about. In recent cars, the steering feels a lot more detached from the car, than not. If you dont get what i mean, the new cars, their weight, the steering feel, steering weight and response are not mated to each other. It often feels a bit virtual, handling a newer car and i know this first hand because i drive one 2022 car and a 2013 car. The beater car, has good feel. It weighs up and down according to speed, you can feel a lot more of the road while driving, the steering feels a lot more connected to the car. Maybe this is because of the lack of insulation that is creating some sort of non cocoon effect, but it is what it is, and i prefer it.

For example, in my dad's kicks, i find it very hard to judge how much the wheels have turned and what response i can expect, when i turn the steering wheel. I have to rely on how much the car moves. This is not a problematic situation, but in tight spots, it can be quite irritating. But, in my car and other older ones, i can feel the movement, when i turn the steering wheel. Almost as if, the wheel sends the signal back to the steering wheel.

I dont know if this makes sense, i really hope it does, though.

Onto the Lights. The ones that were once a good fit for the car, are not now a good fit for the society filled with eye blinding, tear inducing LED lights. This is particularly infuriating for me, with my astigmatism. One flash of light and i am largely blinded for a signinficant amount of time. Bigger cars like Thar, Bolero etc, have their headlights in line with my IRVM, so when they decide to tail me, i have to spend the time with eye pains, because of their powerful beams. Due to this particular reason, my dad decided to install the three coloured LEDs for his High beam. I am yet to install one in mine. All in all, those high powered LED's should be banned. Or, tech like adaptive light by Volkswagen or Audi, should be mandated. It is almost like bullying someone into giving you space.

If you have these blinding lights. Atleast have the empathy to turn those abominations off, if there is a car coming towards you, in two way lane or tiny lane.

That said, VFM? yes. Considering the cost, fuel prices and everything. Yeah. I spend about 2000 a month on fuel, no major problems. Once, the synchromesh gearbox gave out. Turns out, a small bush was the reason for the whole thing. It was promptly changed, although i had to pay 2000 for it.

Attached below are:

The only addition in the car, glow in the dark knobs

The size of the car, compared to a two lane road. This road can host a bus and another car adjacent to each other.

Well, that was the short (long) review for this car. Read on, for some afterthought and rants.

Some Thoughts:

After the review, i didnt know where to park this one. So penning it or typing it under this.

This car is actually very comfortably sorted for its age. And the practicality it offers is also i think, unmatched. I know there is espresso and that ignis, but then think of this.

I have driven the Alto and Celerio but then they dont offer the performance this does. I am not saying that this one offers neckbreaking performance, but then it is superior.

This is what i was contemplating. Maruti should renew this model. Take this Engine, refine it, add some zazzy body lines, some more black and red and slap a turbocharger in there. I am able to extract 13 kmpl with some spicy driving, in the city, even with B to B traffic. This car in pristine condition would have unequivocally fetch 20.

Maruti could make an affordable hot hatch actually. It would totally attract teenagers like me who have an affinity towards performance. I dont know if this is viable, but then this car seems like a perfect family car that can offer some pretty good speed. If someone from Maruti is seeing this, please take it seriously.

On to some other things:

I was a serial co passenger for atleast 10 or 12 years before i got my hands on the wheel. I should say, i was one of those pro co passengers who was always vigilant, signalling the driver wrt to blind spots. We used to go on long drives often and it was my duty to look for lingering trucks on the left lane while overtaking. As a child i took it as a very big responsibility and even before i started driving, i used to tell my dad (the man with 20 years of experience) when it was best to overtake.

Now that i have had my beginners share of driving, i look at the drive itself in a different manner. I am now a bit alarmed when others drive too close, am able to judge side distances way more accurately and even once told my dad to change gears because i "felt" it was not the right one for the situation. Lets just say, the things you look out for changes drastically, once you have some experience behind the wheel.

For example i used to implore my dad to cut between two lorries (when there is sufficient gap) and used to be angry when my dad doesnt do it. When I drove, i realised, it is not as easy as it seems. For a co passenger, it is just flicking the steering wheel to and fro, but for the driver, it is different. At 100+ understeer, oversteer, body roll, weight, control everything comes into place.

But then, in the end, driving has become my stress relief. Aux cable in, windows up, blowers at three and my usual route- bliss after a stressful day.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

10 minutes into the test drive and that was the moment. Me and my brother decided we just had to get a Thar whenever the time comes.

BHPian Dippy recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

As a car enthusiast, once in a lifetime there comes a machine that just sweeps you off your feet. A car that gives you your YOLO moment. A car that you just want. And I found mine in this:

This is my 2023 Everest White Mahindra Thar 4x4 petrol AT Hard top. I call it the 'White Hulk'

Read on...

Flashback:

I experienced the Thar for the first time in 2016 when I was invited to the Mahindra Adventure off-road academy to do their advanced off-roading course. So my first drive of the Thar was literally in its natural habitat. During the course, I drove it through slush, mud, ruts, water and everything nature could throw at it. And this was the first gen model.

Two days and I was smitten. I came back home and tweeted to Anand Mahindra asking for an AT variant to be made. Well an AT never made it to the first gen Thar but we all know what happened later in the 2020 new Thar. Was it my tweet effect? I don't know.

After that in 2018 I went for the Mahindra Spiti Escape and my steed for the 10 day expedition was the first gen facelift Thar. It was a brand new car that was driven from Mumbai to Chandigarh for the start of the expedition. It even had the seat plastics on along with the new car smell. And thankfully they had fitted a Bluetooth head unit with speakers . That trip gave me a chance to know the Thar even better. Drove it through all kinds of terrain including driving through a flowing river and made some fantastic memories. This trip left a lasting impact on me.

The 2020 Thar:

Come 2020 and after loads of spy shots and teasers, Mahindra finally unveiled the 2nd gen Thar on 15th August 2020. On the same day a Freedom drive was organised for the media and I got a chance to sample the new Thar. The variant I drove was a diesel automatic HT:

10 minutes into the drive and that was the moment. Me and my brother decided we just had to get one whenever the time comes. After that day, drove the media Thars whenever I got the chance. From the diesel to petrol, from MT to AT, hard top and the convertible.

My head would turn every time I would see one the road.

But when would I get my own?

While I ideally wanted to buy the Thar in 2022, considering it was a good two years after launch, my plans were put on hold as we decided to move to a new home. The second half of 2022 and early 2023 went in house hunting which in itself is a huge task.

We finally moved into our new home in April 2023.

Buying decision:

A couple of months after settling into our home, the Thar buying thought was brought up by my brother. We kind of decided that it was a good time to buy. Choosing the variant was a no brainer. We decided on the petrol AT 4x4 hard top. As for the colour we both agreed on the Everest White. It was a new colour and I thought the Thar looked smashing in white. While that shade was launched in the RWD, it trickled down to the 4x4 soon enough. I loved the Rocky Beige which was offered at launch but sadly that got discontinued. Black and red were too common and the rest didn't really do it for me. So white it was.

After the decision, the next thing to do was to sell the Civic. I wouldn't have sold it if I had an extra parking space. I put up an ad in the classifieds and found a genuine buyer in a week's time. A navy officer, not a petrolhead but someone who would care for the car. I am happy I got a good price for the Civic as I had kept it in pristine condition. Buyer and seller did a happy handshake. The Civic went to its new owner on 28th June 2023.

A picture of the Civic:

Booking & delivery:

I booked the Thar on 17th June at NBS Kandivali (Mahindra's own dealership). I booked the car via a dear friend who is a DSA and has a firm of his own. While I booked the car at the Kandivali, I requested for delivery from the Chowpatty showroom in South Mumbai as that would be closer to home.

At the time of booking, black, red and other colours in 4x4 were available for ready delivery. For my white car I was given an estimate of 2 months. New colour and white was produced less is what I heard. Still Mahindra produced my Thar rather quickly and it was ready for delivery 2 weeks after booking. I got fresh July 2023 production car (verified the VIN). A few days went in sorting the finance and getting a choice number and my Thar was finally ready for delivery on 28th July:

Reached the showroom at 5 pm. Completed the formalities and the usual delivery celebrations happened. Cake cutting et al. The pooja was done by my mother and we got her to accept the key as well. The owner's manual, warranty booklet and the second set of keys were handed over to us in a neat folder and we also got a goody bag of Mahindra merchandise.

The entire purchase was super smooth. A big shout out to NBS and my friend for a smooth purchase experience. No accessories were forced upon for purchase, but I took the extended warranty. My Thar is a 5 year warranty coverage in total. However I do wish they offer more. Maybe they will in due course.

One of their driver's got the car out of the showroom. The NBS Chowpatty showroom is not the most spacious. Went to the near by petrol pump and filled up its first full tank, post which we drove home. The feeling was still sinking in that we finally got our own Thar.

A couple of pictures from delivery:

At home post delivery joining the Polo GT in the garage:

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