[sawnilrules]

Hey folks,

Was just thinking about the progress we make as individuals in life over a period of time and as we progress one thing remains very clear and dear to our heart that we keep updating our rides as and when time permits, most of the times financially. So just thought of going back the memory lane and looking at what was the first car we owned and why, what did we upgrade gradually and why and what car we intend to own in future and why.

Starting with the cars I owned, and own now what I liked and disliked about them

Maruti Suzuki Zen Estillo (2006-2012)

Till date, Zen Estilo remains the only car which I have owned for a period of more than 5 years. Something that you bought from your self-earned money will always remain special. This also remains the first and the last MT car I ever owned.

What I liked about the car

• A better Maruti amongst the budget cars Maruti had at that point in time.
• Beige interiors as against the grey interiors in other Maruti cars livened up space inside
• Could carry 4 and their luggage easily without fuss
• Had an ability to cruise comfortably at speeds between 80-110 all through the day on the highways if needed
• Low on cost if periodic maintenance was well-taken care

What I disliked about the car

• Zilch safety features, Maruti only offered ABS then
• Rubbery gearbox, sometimes just wouldn't slot the gears right
• Had a sure-footed drive on highways only if loaded, with a single person on board, would sway basis the crosswinds.

Honda City (2012-2016)

As life moves on, you upgrade in life, professionally as well as personally. Got double from single and then hence thought of upgrading to a better machine, and then what choice than a best Executive C Segment car then, the Honda City. Primary requisite then was safety and budget south side of 11 lacs. Armed with these 2 requirements, set out to book a Honda City VMT (Sunroof), but ended up booking VAT (Sunroof instead)

What I liked about the car

• Timeless design, hands-down this, remains the best designed Honda City ever by Honda
• The I-Vtec was a gem of an engine, extremely rev happy, coupled with potent torque converter AT box
• Paddle shifters were absolute fun to use.
• The sunroof was the segment first then, and the car looked fabulous especially in white.
• Quality around, in general, was very much what Honda was always known for.
• Rear seat comfort and leg room was way better than the competition

What I disliked about the car

• The I-Vtec though was a gem of an engine, but the torque was set way-way to high, would get irritating during those sudden overtaking manoeuvres
• Overall build quality was on a lighter side, and crosswinds would easily unsettle the car
• Where Hyundai was offering feature loaded cars, Honda stuck to bare minimum features at a similar price point then

Pre-Owned Hyundai i10 Sportz AT(2014-2016)

With wifey learning to drive and zilch infrastructure around public transport systems in Mumbai, it was getting increasingly important to add another car to the family. However, putting money immediately in a brand new car especially when the better half had just learnt driving was a big no-no. That's how ended up buying a pre-owned, beautifully maintained i10 Sportz AT variant. The intent of buying the car was purely to let wifey get hands-on with driving.

What I liked about the car

• Though the car was at a similar price point of Zen Estilo when it was launched, the interiors of the car were in the different league, felt much premium as compared to what Maruti offered.
• Factory fit music system at that price point, which felt well integrated with the car, unlike what others offered.
• Even though a mid variant, was very well kitted, even as compared to my top specced Estilo that I used to own
• Comfortable and zippy city cruiser.

What I disliked about the car

• 4 Speed transmission, an absolute downer
• Fuel guzzler, and this attributed to poor gearbox
• Should you venture out at night, the stock lighting was extremely poor making visibility an issue.

Hyundai Grand i10 (2016-Till Date)

A logical replacement for the i10 was the Grand i10 Asta (O) AT. What is offered at that price point was much more than what the competition was or is offering even one segment above. It also was the best replacement as wifey was kind of used to the power and size of Hyundai i10

What I liked about the car

• 84 PS of power, in such small package, the car feels fast
• Quality all-around, inside-out, with cost cutting anywhere.
• Laundry list of features
• Attention to detail in every aspect
• Those diamond cut alloy wheels, they are a stunner to look at
• Comfortable to ride even on long runs ( I had taken the car to Pune the same week of delivery)

What I disliked about the car

• 4 Speed AT box, though a trip-tonic, but not anywhere close to modern gearboxes. Sometimes it struggles to find the right gear, especially during those overtaking manoeuvres
• No DTE, and Average Fuel Consumption Indicator in MID, some useless information such as Engine Running Time and Average Speed
• Its funny, how Hyundai has paid attention to detail everywhere apart from the driver side buttons console. The switches aren’t illuminated, and a pain to find in the night. What more, even the lights adjuster button is not illuminated
• Fuel Economy is southwards, not even in double digits

Skoda Octavia 1.8Tsi (2016-Till Date)

The mental monster that what I call her. Absolute Hoot, Absolute Fun, Absolute Power and Absolute Handler. With family tripling, adding car with top of the mill safety feature was of paramount importance. Hence the top of the line Octavia. Why petrol, boys need fun too.

What I Like

• Premium Quality inside out
• Acres of Space, inside the car as well as in the boot and a unique panoramic sunroof
• Explosive 1.8 Tsi engine with torque and power always on hand
• Features list, which is longer than my wife’s monthly grocery list
• 5 star rated NCAP Safety Rating Safety features now include 8 airbags and continues with all other features like (EBD, ABS, ESP, EDL, MKB and more)
• Magnanimous MID throws practically everything you asked for and even more

What I disliked about the car

• Skimping on utilitarian features which costs penny, considering they were present in earlier variant.
• Strictly for 4 occupants only, 5th one will be highly uncomfortable sitting behind
• Škoda should have added a sub and an amp to an already amazing audio setup to complete the package.
• Škoda should have provided Garmin Maps as opposed to extremely sad MapMyIndia Maps.
• Škoda should have given better tires instead Goodyear Tires. The NCT5 are just not able to cope up with the demanding chassis of the car.

What Next Now

Two cars in the garage very much remains the status quo in future too. Probably another 3-4 years down the line this is how I plan to upgrade my rides

So Grand i10 gets exchanged with New Polo GT TSi as and when VW launches it and Skoda Octavia 1.8 Tsi gets replaced with BMW 530D whenever money permits.

Why Polo GT TSi, well you need one hatchback in the family and having known how boring Grand i10 gets to drive, Polo GT TSi makes a strong case for itself

Why BMW 530D, well at this point in time, can't think of any other monster who can replace the monster that I already have. Only time will probably tell when can I make that kind of money to buy one.

MODS: Request you to merge the thread with any other similar or relevant threads if you find any.

[RohanDheman]

Interesting Thread!

The cars that we have owned as a family are:

Maruti 800 (loved it to bits!)
Maruti Zen (Still regret selling it)
Hyundai i10 (was a good fun to drive car when i got her back in 2009) Replaced because of high running and need for a automatic
Hyundai Accent (kept for a decade and my father loved it to bits)
Skoda Laura TDI DSG- was a replacement for my i10. Sold to a closer friend and i still regret it

Current cars
Honda City- replaced the Accent in 2011- there was no better petrol automatic available. Simple.

Octavia TDI DSG- replaced the Laura in 2016- could not think of a better upgrade. the car fits my requirements to the T!

Mercedes C200- bought for my parents in 2014. We wanted our first luxury car to be nothing but a Mercedes

E36 316i- gifted by my cousin to me. Plan to keep her running for as long as i can

Future plans!
A petrol SUV/MUV to be added as the family grows

Honda City to be replaced by an electric car for city duties by 2021

C200 to be replaced a hybrid/pure EV at the appropriate time

Octavia to be replaced by Camry Hybrid at the appropriate time.

Cheers!
Rohan

[laluks]

For the future, with self drive cars available around, I dont know if I'd prefer to own a high end car. I would be happy to rent different cars and be happy with the money available in my bank. Though a small functional car would be parked for daily use.


Just another viewpoint

[naveen.raju]

Maruti Swift (2009-13)
This was the time when it was the default choice in any household and was my obvious choice for the first car. Earnings + bachelor = experiments on the car. Being mod friendly, I did try many subtle mods on the car as well. Got married and the funding stopped . The price didn't depreciate much and got a very good deal as well.
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/long-t...s-clocked.html

What I liked:
1) Peppy little car. Reminds me of a mini.
2) Service was pretty much hassle free, initially atleast.
3) Perfect for the city and wasn't bad for that long outstation drives as well.
4) There's no need to talk about mileage. It was pretty good.

What I didn't like:
1) Lacked features. They didn't have the top end diesel at that time and it lacked some essential features.
2) Maruti is/was known for their low ownership experience, but their labor rates were hiked and it started to prove much higher than it's competitors.
3) Boot space - Although it was reasonable for us (family of two), it was bad when we had those long drives. Had to utilize the rear seats as well.

Ford Ecosport (2013-2015)
SUV's always fascinated me right from my younger days. My grandad who was a car nut used to frequently change cars and he used to prefer SUV's. Safari was one SUV that made me one SUV fan (I was too young to drive one then). When I was looking for an SUV, I couldn't find an affordable one and Ecosport was looking good on paper. It looked like a perfect upgrade.
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/test-d...uty-beast.html

What I like:
1) Our family loves Ford. We have owned few cars from their stable and was pretty much satisfied with the brand.
2) Perfect size for us.
3) Coming from Swift, the feature list looked good.
4) Good highway cruiser.
5) Service experience was really good although it stayed for a short period with me.
6) NVH
7) Excellent AC

What I didn't liked:
1) Used to struggle in inclines.
2) Missed the 6th gear during highway drives.
3) Suspension was hard.

Hyundai Creta (2015-Present)
An affordable upgrade. I had loved their interior build quality and the engine from Hyundai, but was a bit worried on the ownership costs. But it ticked most of my boxes so went ahead with it. If anything is financially affordable, I do everything quickly .
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/test-d...esel-sx-o.html

What I liked:
1) Engine refinement. That 1.6 is a gem.
2) Feature loaded.
3) Better boot and could swallow all our luggage.
4) Coming from Ecosport, those dark interiors looked welcoming.
5) Suspension better than the Ecosport.

What I didn't like:
1) Service experience. They seem to mess up every time I go.
2) Costs more than the Ford (service).
3) Mileage vary a lot depending on how you drive.
4) Not as engaging to drive as the Ecosport.
5) AC isn't as powerful.
6) Although NVH is good (thanks to that refined engine), things could have been better if had added an insulation on the bonnet and given thicker window glass.

Hyundai Grand i10 (2017-Present)
Well, that's my wife's territory and I rarely drive it. But perfect according to her.
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/test-d...-o-petrol.html

What Next:
I am pretty much happy with the Creta and should be with me for another 2-3 years. My ideal car would be something similar to the Ford Endy. Let's see what's in the market in the next 2-3 years. I don't want to financially upgrade my car. If they have good SUV's in the Creta's price range or even lower, I would go for it.

[vishy76]

Interesting thread idea.

Cars we have owned till date are as follows:

Opel Corsa (2002-2009)

What I liked:

• Tank like German build, when the only other options were Japs and Indians
• Efficient yet torquey 1.4 GSI and the mental 1.6. Take your pick
• Interior quality was again a cut above what was on offer
• Solid driving dynamics, combined with a HPS (Hydraulic power steering) and a German suspension setup
  

What I didn't like:

• Opel's lousy service network and eventual exit from the Indian market. The car's resale took a hit
• Spare parts were very hard to come by. Imagine the clutch plate assembly coming in at Rs. 30K
• Commanded a premium above other cars. However, my dad just went for the car and never regretted that decision
  

My dad paid a premium for this car over the Japs and Indians of its time, but he never regretted his decision to buy it. Even after Opel shut shop, the Corsa never gave us any problems for 6 years, before the slave cylinder for the brake gave up. The car held up beautifully otherwise.

Sold eventually in 2009, for the Hyundai Verna CRDi VGT SX.

Hyundai Verna VGT CRDi (2009-2014)

What I liked:

• 1.5 VGT was faast. This was one of the few alternatives to the Optra Magnum, the Cruze's predecessor
• Feature loaded for it's time: Climate control, Rear armrest and the likes
• Backed by Hyundai's countrywide sales and service network
  

What I didn't like:

• Unreliable. It seemed as if a lemon had been sold to us. List of parts replaced:
  - Head unit
  - Right headlamp
  - Seat recline lever
  - The car used to stall a lot abruptly in its final days with us. No mechanic could make out what went wrong.
  - Ignition switch below the clutch pedal
• Boat like ride and driving dynamics. If you couldn't afford a yatch, this was the go to car
• Dated looks and interiors. The car was well past its prime and the Fluidic was introduced in 2010

Volkswagen Jetta (2014-present)

My dad started to hunt for a new car again. It was clear that he was quite frustrated with the Koreans, so he turned to the Germans again. Bought a Volkswagen Jetta 2.0 TDI Comfortline on 28th November, 2014.

What I like:

• Tank like build and timeless looks. Doesn't want to age at all
• 2.0 TDI + 6 Speed manual.
• Solid driving dynamics and the multilink suspension
• Safety as standard: 6 airbags, ESP, ABS, etc.
  

What I don't like:

• Feature list was sparse then, even worse today. The only giveaway to the car's age
• RCD 300 plus sucks. No bluetooth, USB at this price point
• Backed by VW's unreliable A.S.S

Renault Kwid 1.0 AMT(2017-present)

What I like:

• One of the cheapest AMTs on sale
• Chic looks and cutesy styling
• 1.0 has good drivability and the AMT seems to be well suited to traffic
• Feature loaded: Digital speedo, touchscreen medianav etc.
  

What I don't like:

• Appaling safety rating and tinny build
• Some parts reek of cost cutting
• Renault's incompetent dealer network as compared to Maruti

Cars I would like to own (After the Jetta):

- Jeep Compass 2.0 Limited 4x4
- Ford Endeavour 3.2 Titanium
- Pre worshipped BMW 320D
- Skoda Superb 2.0 TDI DSG

Cars I would like to own after the Kwid:
- Tata Tiago AMT (Remains on top of my list)
- VW Polo
- Hyundai Grand i10

Sorry for the long post.

Regards,
Vishy

[V.Narayan]

Very interesting thread. Thank you for starting it. Our cars/transport vehicles represent not only our changing family needs but also our socio-economic status both real and aspired.

My life started as the proud owner of a pre-owned Lambretta scooter which by the way wasn't a bad positioning to have in 1982. The toss up was between a moped or a second hand scooter. I figured giving a lift to the fine ladies who worked in the same company will be enhanced with a proper scooter versus a Luna moped.

I yearned for a car but could not afford one. In the days before EMI's you first saved and then purchased. I used to day dream of driving my own car; of saying, 'would you like a lift' ; of looking smart driving with the wind in my hair. Oh the joys of being 26 and broke. In 1990 when we were expecting our first born my wife announced the Lamby won't do. On a weekend we emptied the bank a bought a Premier Padmini - floor shift, bucket seats et al. We were so very proud. * ‎Later a 2nd Padmini came. Then as career & business lurched up a Cielo replaced on of the Padmini's in the mid-1990s. The status, drive, feel of the Cielo was a jump up from anything we were used to. It made us think we have arrived!*
‎
As I got older the family grew and the parents first got dependent on us and then moved in with us and the fleet grew to 3 cars and then 4 cars as the kids grew to adult hood. The *family at the peak topped 10 = pandemonium. Today it is Lexus ES300h, Volvo XC60, Amaze & Jazz. Now the family needle is gradually swinging the other way as elders pass away and the young adults fly away. Very soon we won't need 4 cars in fact that time is already here. Soon we'll go back to two. The cycle of life.*


The 'kick' I got from that first Padmini was hard to replicate with later far superior cars. The difference between yesterday and today is 'bonnet often up' to 'bonnet never opened'. The reliability & features today are light years ahead of the 1970s and 1980s - even the 1990s. ‎

[kraken]

I've always loved cars and the all things that go with it, even driving to a fuel station.
As with a majority of people here, I've gotten the first taste of cars from dad/ relatives. For me the first ever car experience comes when I visited my dad's place in Kerala from Mumbai where he worked. Till
then I had only traveled in cabs or 'baju vale uncle ki gaadi' that's all. I was maybe 8 or 9 then. One fine vacation we reached Kerala, my uncle showed up in his shiny Maruti 800 and boy I was excited to sit in the front
seat with A/C on ! And just like that I was hooked. Dad did not mind buying me auto magazines as the train journey back was long ( pre - konkan railways era) and I had something to do.
Fast forward to after I started my first job in Bangalore, I wanted a car (I know a car in that traffic, what was I
thinking). And I bought one.

1. Maruti Suzuki Zen Estilo 2011 (Pre - owned from True Value)
Well much has been said about the design and it's form factor but it was the only one I could afford without a loan and had very low mileage so I went with it. Loved the car except the swaying at high speeds. Then came the car that changed me. Sold it in 2012

2. Volkswagen Polo 1.2 Tdi comfortline (spanking new) 2012
Wow. Just wow. My shift back to Kerala, and becoming an entrepreneur, I needed a car. After driving a boxy Maruti, this was like owning a mini rocket. The stability, the way she drives, I was so in love. And the best part, low fuel bills & just a yearly visit to the service centre. Then I got married. I still have that car.

3. Toyota Fortuner 4x2 TRD Sportivo (NEW) 2015 ( Exchanged our old Honda City ZX that dad owned )
Not really my choice, this was hmm let's say more of a we need a 'badi gaadi' in our garage sort of deal. Love it, driving it in the pothole ridden Kerala roads is a breeze. Downside, it's manual and the ride is BUMPY. Happy with the car anyways ! Then Mrs needed a ride and I couldn't drive the Fortuner everyday.

4. Swift VXI 2016 (I lobbied for a Polo but people have very strong affinity to Marutis)
I like the car a lot but, it's just that a few niggles pop up once a while like central locking had an issue ( finally I diagnosed it to be faulty door sensor), parcel tray made a lot of noise (they would do something, but it would come back immediately, fixed it with some paper and glue). But love driving it. Maintenance costs are meagre !

Cars I've not owned but driven a lot. Dad's Bolero & Willy's. Company's Omni, force Traveller cargo and Bolero XL.
Great cars, except Omni, I shudder to think what would happen if it crashes. (I pray daily for that not happening)

Cars I would love to own one day

1. The Octavia VRS (No comment)
2. BMW 530d or 530i (530d's 6 cylinder is a dream since I keep hearing such good things about it)
3. A Vento TSI Highline Plus (Next possible upgrade to the Polo)

[Dry Ice]

Given the way things are going, "hope" to get a IC engine powered 4wd SUV when the time comes for an upgrade (maybe 2020 or so). "Hope", fingers crossed.

[The Brutailer]

Funny thing. I’ve never sold a car I’ve bought.

> Alto LX
> City VX
> Merc GLA

Cars I would love to replace them with :

> Mini Cooper S
> BMW 5-Series
> Range Rover

[Durango Dude]

1995-1999: My first car was a new M800/Non AC retrofitted with an A/C 307 Sanden Vikas Compressor from UniPro, Chennai. Driven: 45000 kms; 4.5 years.

1999-2005 The year my daughter was born, found it a very tight fit for Mom & Dad, Wife, Son and daughter. The Hyundai Accent was launched and I was all wide eyed when I saw the car, did a TD and was hooked and got myself a Hyundai Accent GLS (petrol) Driven: 60000 kms, 5.5 years. This was a big jump for me and my friends were suitably 'impressed' by this jump to Accent as they were all buying a Santro.

2005-present Time to say bye to the Accent. I was drooling on the Octavia vRS of that genre, but it was above my max budget and Hyundai Elantra wasn't selling and was on hefty ₹ 1 L discount so I test drove a relatives diesel Elantra and was suitably impressed by the car and again test drove a petrol and went in for the Elantra. It's served me for 12 years and still drives well, even last night took the family to Marina beach. She is very predictable and has done only 35000 kms in 12 years. My running has come down drastically in this time. Even took her on the highway (Chennai-Salem-Chennai) with 6 people (4 adults and 2 kids) and luggage last year, with no hiccups; but she isn't making the 'right' noises now and don't feel confident of taking her out on long jaunts. Am using her as a sleeper car, now.

2017-present My daily driver is a Honda City CVT bought after probably the max number TD's I've ever done before selecting a car. My TD's involved: Etios Platinum (petrol: Wow; great car and a wholesome package; ruined by perception), Verna (previous, lousy followed the Etios; was expecting to be blown away by the car and it's features; but was the other way round Etios was way better than the Verna all round), Baleno CVT(very hard ride; ticked off the list at TD itself: wonder how this car sells: surely a marketing wonder by MSIL, on top of it has a huge wait list-sic) Honda BR-V CVT (narrow and long; wasn't comfortable no rear view camera), Ciaz (petrol; manual and automatic; loved it was getting huge discounts on the 2016 model), Polo GT TSi (lovely car but let down by lack of space and DSG woes) and finally the Honda City CVT (had it all from my point of view) that was liked by my family and me. Have driven some 4800 kms since Mar, 2, 2017. Have taken 3 out station trips with family, Kodaikanal (1150 kms round trip), Kumbakonam (560kms round trip), Rasipuram (720 kms round trip) which is almost 50% City and 50% Highway runs. It's one great car and feels so light to pilot around and also delivers great mileage for an automatic. It was pricey but I've no regrets so far.

2015-present My son got a Grand i10 Auto Asta variant; lovely little car which is refined and easy to drive; but returns lesser mileage than the Honda City.

Dunno what the future holds for me; will never go anywhere near the German's and will stick with brands that have decent After sales service and don't pinch the pocket, very much.

[adneeraj]

Nice thread indeed!!
My journey of cars started with a Zen in the family. Not the case that I first owned, but I was pretty much attracted to cars since about standard 6 or so.

The first car I got was a Swift vxi 1.3 G13B engine. It was a joy to drive that car. I clocked about 90k kms on it before trading it last year.
With the arrival of a baby and my wife advised not to ride a 2 wheeler when she was carrying, we decided to go for a Ford Fiesta Classic, diesel. Not the best sedan, but then I am repelled by the sub 4 meter sedans out there.. And this was the best money could buy in 2014. It's been with me for over 3 years and I've no complaints so far. A very frugal car indeed.
Pros:
1. Handles really well. FTD package.
2. Perfect for a family. Not too large a car.
3. Fuel efficient. Mile muncher.
4. Decent size boot. Swallows a fair amount of luggage for a week long family trip.

Cons:
1. Underthigh support inadequate. You feel tired a bit after long drives. Not the comfortable car that way.
2. Engine showing signs of aging. Highly underpowered in today's standards. I got a RD box to spice up things a bit.
3. Looks aged now on the roads.

Meantime, wife met with an accident while on a 2 wheeler near the house and that prompted me to trade the Swift for an automatic. My wife hates driving a car, though she drives rather well. Traded my beloved Swift for a Grand i10 automatic. I had booked a GT TSI but that did not go well with my wife, looking at the price. So canceled and got this instead.
My list of pros and cons is probably exactly the same as Sawnil here. We have the same variants in different shades and being used by and for the same purpose
Pros:
1. Auto box. Very comforting in the city.
2. Passenger comfort and space better than my Fiesta.
3. NVH levels much better than the Swift and the Fiesta.
4. Being a Hyundai, filled with features. Diamond cut alloys stand out.

Cons:
1. 4 speed auto box is very poor in its response.
2. Very basic things like door pad illumination, DTE, door auto lock and even an auto AC are sorely missed.
3. Fuel efficiency. South of 11-12 to a litre is a bit less than what I had expected from it.

My next car has to be one of the Germans.. A VW Jetta was on my list until it got discontinued.
Looking at my appetite for road trips, I now feel that a crossover value would suit me better than a sedan.
Jeep Compass excited me too.

Thanks for staying this thread Sawnil!!

[Hells Bells]

Drawing on one's car experiences is a hugely nostalgic activity and it is great to revisit those on this thread!

My first car experience was courtesy my dad as he was the owner:

Premier Padmini (1993-2005)

What I liked:

• Our first car which could seat 4 in utmost comfort (truth be told, I remember some 8 of us loaded into it on its inaugural drive)
• Low cost of maintenance

What I disliked:

• The need to slip the clutch to get it moving in first gear

My dad's first car was a pre-owned Premier Padmini with a steering mounted gear shift. The experience of having a car was surreal at that time and being in the defence forces also meant that it was not visible as a pressing need to me (as a kid). However, the freedom it gave us to go out when we wanted made me appreciate the car a lot. What truly came as a surprise (which I now register rather than when I was a kid) was my dad's decision to actually drive over to our next place of posting rather than take the usual train. It was break from our routine of every 2-3 years and it remains one of a kind experience for me . We drove from Allahabad to Mhow at a lazy speed with some touristy breaks thrown in (river cruise in Bedaghat near Jabalpur).

It was also the car on which I learnt driving. Unfortunately, the car was a kill joy, to an extent, for a novice with its underpowered engine and loose clutch. While I learnt how to drive, I did not initially warmed up to the idea of driving courtesy the learning experience.

Santro (2004 - 2017)

What I liked:

• The relative modernity of the car vis-a-vis Premier Padmini
• Ease of driving the compact form factor

What I disliked:

• The lack of high speed stability
• Lack of safety features (though it was before the times ABS and Airbags were made available in hatches)

My dad finally sold off the beloved Padmini and traded in for a much more modern Santro. I loved driving it. This car rekindled my love for driving and I loved the relative zippiness of Santro. It served my dad faithfully and did more than 1.1L over 11 years which is a testament to the ruggedness of what was a simple car.

Aveo 1.6 (2006-2017)

What I liked:

• The interiors
• The plush ride

What I disliked:

• The power+gear box combo did not do justice to the 100 PS on paper
• Lack of safety features
• Driving dynamics on corners - my better half always ended up with headaches on any drives which involved corners

My first car! Flush with post grad aspirations and regained financial freedom, I started off with an eye on Swift till I had a short onsite stint with which I decide to put my money on a sedan. Net-net, it was a race between Fiesta and Aveo. With me still discovering driving dynamics, the package of Aveo trumped Fiesta. It had very nice interiors, looked nice on the outside and had reasonable power on paper.
I loved the car and stuck with it till this year when finally the gremlins of GM along with the lack of trust for an 11 year old car on highway made me part with it. The fact that I parted with it for a pittance was no surprise but I still let it go with a heavy heart considering it was my first car.

Micra CVT (2015 - till date)

What I like:

• Creature comforts after experience cars like Aveo/Santro/Premier - it came with all nice features like BT/ACC/Auto folding mirrors etc
• Zippy in-city drivability
• Compact form factor
• Smooth CVT
• Safety features - dual airbags + ABS

What I dislike:

• The rubber band effect of CVT
• The coarseness of a 3 pot engine

As I pushed my better half to get on with driving, the need to a compact automatic became increasingly relevant. Coupled with the unpredictability and lack of safety features in my Aveo, we needed an alternative for our highway runs. With the combo of safety features + auto, there were only two hatches we could look at - Brio or Micra. Polo was out of contention as wifey was not comfortable with the perceived size (was deemed to be too big).
Ended up with Micra because of the smoother CVT box and the far better interiors.
It is a car that we have not regretted a single day - it drives beautifully in city, has the confidence to putter around on highway all day long at 100-110 without stressing the engine and has the safety features to ease the mind.

Octavia vRS (2017-till date)

What I like:

• The engine.
• The engine.
• The engine.
• The all black interiors.
• The safety features.
• The stand-out allure of the car.

What I dislike:

• I would say FE but then I would be lying. I really don't care two hoots about the FE.
• What's there not to like!

My ownership review is WIP and in draft. Wouldn't want to repeat myself so will just leave it to the fact that I am a lucky owner of one of the more desirable cars around.

[agambhandari]

Great topic and very interesting to read the evolution of everybody's garage. In fact its so great that at 2 in the night before my final prof MBBS exam in the morning, I'm pressed to write about mine Now keep in mind I'm 22, still in college not yet having my own car. So here goes my family's experience.

1996: M800 retrofit with AC
I have been told my dad bought purely because of the misfortunes we have had on 2 wheelers, so the safety aspect was the only selling point(apart from price obviously). An AC was later fitted and it was a chiller. I still remember and am still told about the countless times i was rocked to sleep in the car, even when we were at home just because car had the AC, and I wouldn't stop crying without it.

Pros:

• Safety(over a scooter)
• Price
• Punch for a tiny car
• AC

Cons

• Small
• Looked dated
• Too common

2001: Santro LE
I still remember sitting in the back when my dad did a TD of the Santro, it was on the side of a highway and i was definitely pushed to the back of the seat. Though we did try out the usual Zen, alto from maruti, the spacious Santro clinched it for us. I still remember the day I gladly distributed sweets in my class at school just because we were thankful to be able to get such a nice car.(To be honest it was light years ahead of the 800). Great going at first, it turned in to a nightmare about 1.5 yr later when the breakdowns started. 3 breakdowns for random things and our confidence was shot. The car had to go. So before even 3 years of ownership it was sold and we didn't even have a car for a few months.

Pros

• Space
• Price
• Tough while it lasted(Went to Kufri,Manali, Rohtang)
• Modern than 800

Cons

• Questionable looks
• Horrible reliability quotient
• Not exciting

2004: Omni
No, not what you think. It was just a people and carrier mover for my Dad's hospitals. Regular eye check up camps are something that are a regular routine, and Omni was a vehicle that made it all so easy for us. Carried all the equipment and the people with ease. For a car under 3 lac, you can see why it was in top 10 sellers for decades. It also served as a spare/backup car. My sister was picked up(embarrassingly) from countless coaching classes in it, and thanks to the name of the hospital on it, was even asked if there was a casualty inside(No there wasn't, just a missed class!!) To be honest I drove my first few feet in the omni and like all of us i can never forget that feeling of being in control for the first time. Now don't need to put in a pros and cons list for a Maruti Van, but the best thing about it was that it was the car in which we went to get the next car. It was sold about 6 years later when it wasn't being used much and we needed space for another car anyway. Though later regretted it and had to get a replacement.

2005: Honda City EXi
Yes, the dolphin honda! One day in towards the last few months of 2004, we stopped at a honda showroom out of the blue while coming back from some place. My excitement rose and i followed my parents inside. We were in the market for a car!(But the santro was barely 2.5 yrs old, I wonder why ) My dad really wanted the Vtec city but alas the Dolphin was out now. It had just come out and i hadn't even seen it on the road yet. Thanks to this design change, other cars like the Optra, Fusion(my suggestion) were also given a look, but in the end City was just too aspirational and practical for anything else to make sense. It was really the no nonsense car and great VFM too. Sold it 7.5 years later for 50 percent of the original price with 67k on the clock because the parts were taking longer to source and mostly because we were bored.

Pros

• SPACE
• Features
• I liked the cute look
• the Honda badge and reliability

Cons

• Video game steering
• No safety features
• Harsh ride
• Both sides wheel barrings gave out surprisingly

2010: Chevrolet Spark

Bought it because we expected to need another car with my coaching classes and all . Turns out we didn't http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/long-t...downgrade.html.
Basically used it as a 2nd car and then later as a primary car when we sold the city. I learnt driving in this car and the car that I have driven the most yet. In delhi and in hands of my sister since 2014, its a nice little city car good for negotiating the busy streets without a care. The car was an obvious choice over the poor Alto and Nano. Its just at only 30K after almost 7 years now.
Pros

• Cute looks
• Great price
• Decently punchy and impeccably refined Engine
• Good space for an A segment car
• Cheap to maintain
• Doesn't have obvious signs of cost cutting like today's 3 lac cars.

Cons

• Chevy service centers are now hard to find
• Terrible shift quality
• Beige interiors get soiled way too easily
• Expecting miserable resale value now

2013 Ford Ecosport 1.0 EcoBoost
With an SUV set in mind and no interest in the old school ones combined with a limited parking space, a compact SUV was the obvious choice. The search started as back as the Yeti's launch in 2010, but the diesel only car with the understandably high price kept us way. Waited for a petrol to come near 12 lacs but sadly Skoda wasn't interested. So waited for the Duster, and nope terrible interiors and poorly specced petrol also killed that. Ecosport with its high tech turbo petrol and loaded feature list then seemed like the perfect bet. We had to wait for over a year after the 2012 auto expo teasing, but finally in Oct 2013 after waiting for 3 full months got it. http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/test-d...-ecoboost.html
It fits our requirement to a T, and its getting tougher by the day to convince my parents to upgrade, my dad refusing to give this one up until its 10 years old. I hope thats not the case.
Pros

• Compact size with SUV height
• Comfortable on long journeys
• Top safety features. 6 Airbags+ ABS+ Built Ford Tough
• Punchy ecoboost
• Can take on bad roads without any fuss

Cons

• While the spare wheel looks cool, is a pain to actually replace
• I think the steering is way too light even for city use
• Harsh ride
• Boot space could be bigger

We also eventually got a Maruti Eeco finally in 2014 i think (not sure about the year), but its a very nice upgrade over the Omni, the engine feels very powerful and the right facing 7 seats are also more usable. Serves the same purpose as the Omni before.

What I wish for next:
For one, I want a car of my own, for obvious reasons. I may get the spark at some date. or not since its a great beater car and the resale value would be terrible anyway.
For the eeco, hope to upgrade to a more safer 7 seater if the highway trips increase for its use case.
From the ecosport, I really want an exciting compact SUV. I was really excited about the compass but its cost is too high for its size. and apart from the good driving experience, nothing about it feels better than the ecosport as a family car for us. For that reason, would be looking to get into the premium brands when the spare cash allows. The EcoSport has run just 20k in over 4 years now and there's no logical reason to upgrade other than the eventual boredom.
As for me, if i get another car for myself, would like a hot hatch(Swift sport, are you listening?), or a bargain german. Driving pleasure is my only criteria given I have no need for a daily commuter.

[adneo]

Wow excellent thread. Even though i as an individual or we as a family haven't had the luck of owning too many cars till now, yet i think its fair of me to present my appreciation for the vehicles which have till now and hopefully will continue to stand by us through thick and thin.

1. 2009 - till date ( Family car)

I still remember the cult status the original Esteem had earned soon after it was launched. I recall showing my mom a picture of the Late Rajiv Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi driving in a Maruti 1000/Esteem. This was the car which cut through the monotony of the boring shapes like the Amby, specially in a city like Kolkata where the cabs were also Ambys. I can only remember 3 shapes on the roads, Amby, Fiat and the Contessa. Then we had the M800 hatch.

When the Esteem was launched i think everyone got blown away by the sporty appearance. Me and friends used to drool at an Esteem which used be parked opposite to our school. It used ooze class and sportiness at the same time.

When i had a chance to ride an Esteem finally over a really rough patch , i was amazed at the comfort levels. We almost floated over the undulations.

Then finally we got one in the family. Having learnt driving on a M800, i was in for a real shock when i pressed the accelerator of the Esteem for the first time. OMG what power for those times! Even though by the time the Esteem came into the family there were many contemporary competitors on the roads, still with its timeless design, aggressive power, Hydraulic power steering, excellent audio setup, all round independent suspension setup, i never felt that the Esteem lacked something essential.

However when i finally honed my skills at the steering and did some research, i got to understand why the Esteem had some body roll around corners. Maruti had knocked out the rear anti-roll bar! It really irritated me as such a low slung car should have been a riot around corners.

However all said and done, the car has been really bullet proof. Inspite of overheating multiple times on account of my dad's negligence, it still runs without any issues, and we never think twice before setting out on a long drive.

I would have loved to get another one if Maruti continued to sell them.

2. 2011- till date ( Personal Car)

Having shifted to Bangalore i had to get a car for my daily commutes, since i had already lost enough money by way of unreturned change by the BMTC conductors, auto walas etc. Since i was a thin budget, I went ahead with the Alto K10 since this was the only Engine which remotely gave me the same sensation like the G13.

After driving this car around the farthest corners of the city and on a couple of long trips, i can say that this car also has the same no-nonsense Maruti build. Even though the quality is cheap you won't be left abandoned in the middle of nowhere. And even if something breaks, spares are always readily available as most are shared across platforms.
I find the Alto's dimensions just perfect for the city as i successfully park this car in the tightest of parking spots and drive through the narrowest lanes to avoid traffic.

My only grouse is about the flimsy metal quality, as this car is a dent magnet. I got dents from all sorts of things. Right from monkeys eating lunch on my bonnet to our society Sachin Tendulkars. And i just don't want to start about the idiots on 2 wheels on the Bangalore roads.

3. 2017 - till date ( Bangalore Highway Car)
Since i like driving so much we decided to finally get a stronger and more comfortable car for our trips.

After considering cars like the City, Vento,Rapid, i somehow managed to convince the family about the Linea TJet.

The first time i TDed the car i was simply blown away. But my salary was exactly half the price of the car at that point. I had been following the car for 3 years since then, hoping to own it someday.
I even made great friends with Fiat users in the UK and drove their TJets, like the Grande Punto, Abarth etc. But after driving the Tipo there, i realised that once the Linea stops, that would mark the end of an era, just like the Esteem.

Hence it turned into more of a now or never situation.

Well i guess many have highlighted the strengths of the car, but after getting to spend more time i have discovered couple of issues, which unfortunately only show the heights of Fiat's apathy towards their Indian customers.

The car was not thoroughly reengineered to cope up with Indian conditions.
Since the TJet runs really hot, they did increase the radiator size, but never bothered to improve the design of the air intake or the intercooler.
This results in crazy IAT like 62 Degrees within city conditions when the ambient temperature is 27!
And the outcome is pretty evident, low mileage and drop in power.

I have got 19.1 on a cold 17 degree morning drive with the cruise control set to 110. So guys who think the Engine is bad, pls don't. I have seen this beast of an engine perform crazy feats abroad, and even though it might not be cutting edge in terms of technology it is rock solid, easy to maintain and relatively reliable.

Now coming to the next part.
The reason i explicitly mentioned the word relatively while talking about the reliability front is totally on account of exceptionally incompetent post sales support framework of Fiat. God only help those Jeep customers.

A car's reliability is directly related to the care it receives and in case of Fiat thats totally a mess.

My car was perfect till the time it went in for its first service. They won't listen to the actual problems, and even if you stand beside the car and request them to be gentle they will turn a deaf ear. Their machines are not worth a dime and they blatantly disregard the directions issued by Fiat.

I can go on and on about this but i guess i have put across my views reasonably well by now.

[M00M]

Interesting Thread makes me want to contribute so here goes:

Cars Owned:

Premier Padmini: The car that i grew up in, i learnt how to sleep, eat, and live in, such fond memories of this car that i was very against the sale of it but due to parking and finance issues we had to let it go, would love to have my exact car back and made a few trips to the RTO, etc to find where it is now but the registration has expired and records were unavailable.

Premier 118NE: The car that i learnt how to drive properly in, such a fantastic and smooth gearbox that none of the cars present also have this sort of a smooth gearbox. Wide and comfy, loved owning this car, only sold it due to constant rust, even after immaculately maintaining it rust kept coming and that was just very irritating to deal with every 2 - 3 years. Premier fixed it with the viceroy edition but it was too late for that.

Maruti Van Hard Top: We were lucky to be allotted a Japanese Import but my grandfather had an health issue and so he took the car and then it was sold away without informing us.

Hyundai Santro: Nice car, zero issues, truly a nice car, wish i had kept it for some more time. It was the only hyundai which was trouble free, none of the hyundais after this have been trouble free.

Fiat Palio: We had booked a Fiat Uno and then a Maruti Zen but on seeing the Palio on launch in Goa we were blown away with the space and the price, it was 100000/- cheaper top end than the zen at that time. Loved driving this car, was sturdy and felt safe but constant niggles and we got fed up of the car and the abysmal Fiat after sales so had to let it go, Sad part, the guy who bought it could not get it to start as the ECU decided to give way after the test drive and the sale process was completed, poor guy had to spend right away on a new ECU, just goes to show that the first batch Palios were very troublesome.

Maruti 800: Had bought this second hand as a third car for a vacation home, very reliable no issues, after 10-12 years of the car it developed some over heating issues and we decided it was time to change rather than spending money constantly on it.

Honda City: The dolphin city was the proper replacement to the Palio, very good car, problem free except a few unfortunate accidents, due to the misinformation of Arya Honda service we decided to sell the car, put me off the Arya Honda service and never went back over there. Crooks.

Maruti Alto: The replacement to the Maruti 800, ultra reliable, joy to use, but it had two persistent problems. One was that a rat kept going in and out of the car which was just irritating and two it had submerged in floods and had to be totally restored but the flood damage kept coming back and back which forced us to sell it, but we still got a good price for it.

Hyundai i10: The replacement to the Santro but after 7 years of ownership i can safely say that while on paper its a good car, this is just very heavy on maintenance. Only the santro is a good reliable car. Would avoid buying a Hyundai again.

Toyota Corolla Altis: Reliable. No issues but a bad accident rendered the car a write off. Would have loved to have this car around even today.

Honda City: Replaced city with city, this IVTEC variant is reliable, and continues to give us good service, fuss free. Still with us.

Honda CRV: The replacement to my Corolla. Safe. Spacious. Reliable. Only negative being low fuel efficiency but considering it as 4x4 on the fly, petrol, the fuel mileage is not that bad. Still with us. Love the car like driving dynamics, will keep it as long as i can, even till 2030 and beyond if possible.

Honda Brio: The replacement to the i10. Reliable, quirky, fun, cute car. Mom loves the AT and the car is a competent, fun, runabout. Still with us.

Premier Padmini: Bought a semi restored Padmini back 6 months ago. The owner beig a parsi i thought he wouldve kept the car well but car had some mechanical issues and the interiors were not upto the mark, also some rust had developed in some places. Right now car is at the painters getting painstakingly restored, and all mention or indications of previously being owned are being removed and its going to come back looking like it just rolled off the assembly line. Will be with me forever.

Future:

I would like to get a BMW 530D / 530i (with a M sport spec and auto park etc, right now the lower sport trim just is disappointing and does not do justice to this car) and eventually moving to electrics being Tesla Model 3 / Model S / Model X / Roadster keeping the Padmini with me at all times and the CRV as long as possible.