[Sachin V.W.]

Split headlamp design is still an eyesore for me, on any car. Period.

I thought it would grow on me but untill now, I can't imagine myself buying a car with such headlamp style.

[mayankk]

"FTD" is overhyped.
A half-decent amount of power is enough, creature comforts are more important.

A spot-on handler will show its handling maybe in 0.1% of its total lifetime in your hands.
A comfortable suspension, easy cruising at 100-120 Kmph, banging stereo......way more critical.

[srini1785]

1. Connected cars are only for select audience.
2. Subscription based services should be discontinued. Especially heated seats.
3. AMT is a technological disaster.
4. At any point of time, the list of things which can go wrong is directly proportional to the square of number of sensor inputs to the ECU at that point.
5. Don't convert a vintage/ classic car into electric. Its blasphemy.
6. Cruise control should be limited to 100kmph.
7. Compact Sedans are actually hatchbacks in disguise.
8. EV's and Hydrogen based IC car engines cannot co exist.
9. Internet Inside should be thrown outside.
10. 15year+ NGT Rule in Delhi NCR region does not infringe on basic human rights and must be implemented pan India.

PS: The last point is due to selfish reasons. There is a possibility that i might get a 15year+ office car.

[low_rider]

Overuse of "Built-like-a-tank" phrase to justify any scenario:

• Gearbox failed after 50k kms - Hey, but it's-built-like-a-tank
• Repainted panels on a new car by dealer - Hey, but it's-built-like-a-tank
• Water leaking from sun roof - Hey, but it's-built-like-a-tank
• Workshop damages the car - Hey, but it's-built-like-a-tank
• Denied warranty - Hey, but it's-built-like-a-tank
• AC doesn't chill - Hey, but it's-built-like-a-tank

[TankJr]

1. As someone with Astigmatism, those eye-socket burning LED Headlights !!!

I used to love driving at night. It was a mellowing experience up until a few years ago when manufacturers decided every car needed a personal lighthouse built into it.

Also it's absurd how no one has the courtesy to turn their brights off. I will flash you back.

2. Metal bumpers / Bullguards

I've seen multiple Jeep bros showing off their cool new metal diapers. Please stop.

Cars are deadly as it is. No need to make sure the guy has even lower survival chance on impact. However if there's ever a zombie apocalypse, i'll give you a call

[Masalawheelz]

Some of the atrocities which need to be dealt with immediately:

1. Horribly shaped speed breakers, especially those with small bumps/pits just before or after them - I am forced to cross 20 of them every day on my office commute and it puts me off every single day. I do not understand the point of having 6-8 speed breakers over 1/2km of road.

2. Idiots on two and three wheels - Call me out for the elitist attitude but most of these guys are a threat to the entire population with their riding while on the phone, wearing a helmet but not strapping it, juggling one too many things (including kids) while riding, blatant ignorance of the damn white lines on the roads, and the worst of all - parking the two wheeler in an angular fashion, jutting out on to the road and blocking the parking of an entire car length

3. Sunroof Fiasco - Seriously, I still don't understand why we need it on cars. Unfortunately I have one but I just don't see the point of it. Standing up and jutting your head and chest out while speeding (especially by children who are encouraged by parents for taking pictures/reels and posting it on Instagram is the maximum moronic nonsense which is possible by anyone in the country

4. Jaywalkers Paradise - People these days don't bother walking on the pavement (Yes, I understand that pavements are non-existent at most places and are terribly shaped wherever available) , but that doesn't give one the excuse of walking side by side on the road, completely ignorant to the traffic situation, ignoring the honking, and crossing without waiting or looking at both sides. These days, idiots on the road are on the phone and cross on to oncoming traffic while looking at the other side, and the worst of them wait at the centre line to finish their phone call or wait for someone to cross over from the other side.

5. Balancing your entire village on two wheels - Yes, this may sound insensitive, but I have always evidently seen that there is no respect for something which is available in abundance - something that squarely applies to the human population in our country. Parents be juggling and balancing their kids, wife, neighbours and dogs on the bike on main roads and highways like there's no tomorrow! Something has to be done about this pronto as they are a danger to themselves and pretty much everything around.


Some higher level issues:


1. Ever changing Government policies - Car manufacturers need stable policies for a minimum of 15-20 years in order to complete the life cycle of one product - from initial stages to launch to facelift to subsequent generations. If you keep changing the rules, at the end of the day, I don't even know what sport I'm playing

2. Atrocious Taxation on Cars and Fuel in the country - I pay income tax for the money I receive, then shell out money for the car from where excise duty, GST and Road Tax goes to the government after which I need to pay almost 100% tax on the fuel to run the car, and after that, 18% GST on service and consumables and beyond that - tax on the insurance renewals. - This level of absurdity shouldn't be tolerated by the industry or by the public

3. EVs claiming to be environment friendly and being charged at a premium - This is the most ridiculous situation of today's automobile scenario in India. No - your EV does not pollute any lesser. While EVs may make sense for abundant running, the source of your energy is definitely not clean. So wipe off your halo and drive normally like the rest of us. However, I don't see why EVs are priced at a premium over their 'normal' counterparts and early adopters shouldn't have to pay the price to bring the tech into the country.

4. Diesel being blamed for pollution in the country - Really? Letting unauthorised and untreated sewage into river and the ocean is fine and stubble burning is a necessity but you draw the line on 10 year old diesel cars? I understand 20 year old commercial vehicles which haven't been maintained well and drive around belching black smoke, but I think blaming diesel for the atmosphere turning dark, while turning a blind eye to industrial pollution in the country is blatant absurdity. Instead, bring sustainable tech to reduce pollution in Diesel cars.

5. A full sized spare tire is a must - Yes, I am old school. Yes, run-flats are atrocious and not for Indian roads. Car manufacturers should provide a full size spare tire and package it well inside the car (No stupid space saver donuts moving around in the boot)

6. ADAS in a country still finding its lanes - I don't think ADAS is the current need of the hour. I also think it may dumb down drivers in the next decade. I mean no offense to anyone, but in a country where the majority ignore the white lines on the road, and there are a million different species crossing the road, everywhere, all over, this is not exactly the tech which you should be arming your people with. If it saves lives, great! But if its going to make you more adventurous or dumb, how do you deal with it?

7. A bigger controversy I would like to stoke - I remember reading an article about a country in Europe (I think Italy) which wanted to restrict higher engine capacities to the freshly licensed - and I think this makes absolute sense:

a. Age 16-18 - Two wheelers capped at 100-125cc
b. Age 18-21 - Two wheelers capped at 200cc and Four wheelers capped at 1200cc
c. Age 21-25 - Two wheelers capped at 500 or 650cc and Four wheelers capped at 2000cc
d. Age 25 and above - No limits on capacity

8. Road tax has to become a uniform payment to own and drive the car across the country irrespective of the state of registration. It can be renewed every 5 years instead of 15 in order to bring down the initial cost of the vehicle.

9. Strong Hybrids are a better option - I think the move to strong hybrids can bring benefit the entire country and should at least be partly incentivised by the government. Most Asian countries have made the shift and are quite happy.

10. Keep your star rating to yourself - I think we need better drivers along with better testing mechanism as the star rating of these organisations leave a lot to be desired. No point in having an idiot behind a 5-star rated vehicle if he's going to ram it into a divider or a parked lorry at 150kmph at 2am. We need to focus more on rigidity of the underlying structure, better safety features, and include seat belt cutters, glass breakers and fire extinguishers in cars as standard equipment.

11. Animals on the Road - Its 2024 now but strangely, this topic has been there for the last 75 years. Animal menace on the road needs to be curbed immediately. Be it cows, dogs, cats or any other locally prevalent being - Don't take me wrong - I don't blame the animal (poor thing is already frightened by the lights and sounds) but the human behind it has to be punished.


Cheers!

[SN88]

Here is from the bottom of my heart!! Sincere apologies to the offended.

Cars by Tata and Mahindra are totally unacceptable in the half baked conditions that they are sold. They are not researched enough, made by over enthusiastic designers and engineers trying to get too ahead of their potential solely banking on the Indian public to become their beta testers (which by the way doesnt help as the next model of the same car is equally bad). The customers are treated as badly while buying as well as while servicing their cars.

Indians are over nationalistic people who will encourage buying of the most horrendous, mind ruffling, blood boiling cars with monthly runs to the service center because of cars being Indian and "Safe".

Maruti Suzuki launches cars akin to changing bedsheets on a bed and calling it a new bed!!

I cannot wrap my head around when people buy VW/ Skoda cars, complain about endless issues but are satisfied by "the reassuring thud while closing the door"



We like making people/ celebrities gods, and an average car gods own chariot because of a very prevalent herd mentality.
Speaking of herd mentality, the sales of Hyundai and Kia is truly astonishing. I admit the cars offer a very good value and are the most advanced in their respective segments, but the fan following is truly amazing. Majority of households I know will have 1 Hyundai/ Kia. My compound, office, streets is full of them. Well done S Korea!!

Indian car reviewers mainly from tier 2 and tier 3 cities who launch their youtube channels have no clue what they are talking about and is nausiating to listen to them whenever you come across those videos.

Rant Over! Happy New Year everyone!!

[Sunderdeep]

The only moment you regret buying an unsafe car is when you are with your family and something bigger than your vehicle is about to hit you. Passive features alone won't help in such situations.

[Emvi]

1. SUV basically refers to the body style of a vehicle more than its capabilities. For those who argue otherwise, a so-called "true blue SUV" with 2WD transmission should be seen as nothing more than a robust hatchback on steroids.

2. Not everyone buys Korean cars solely for their long list of features or the much-hyped bling factor. Those who contradict are either overly biased or haven't experienced them firsthand.

3. European cars are best driven on European roads.

4. Reliability is one of the foremost aspects when it comes to safety. Unfortunately, it is rarely taken into consideration by the preachers of safety.

5. Not everyone who drives, owns a car/bike, and talks about them is an enthusiast.

6. People think that clocking miles in a vehicle is a certification for their automotive enthusiasm/passion. Ask a truck driver, and you'll know better.

7. I believe road rage and forum rage seem closely inter-related.

8. If Skoda is considered German and not Czech, then JLR should be seen as Indian rather than British.

[SLK]

I think this thread has lived its life. Everyone who wanted to say something to some others has said it, now counters have started to come and its no longer just plain 'opinions'.

[shankar.balan]

More Grumblings and Rumblings.
By God it feels good to ‘vent’.
A sort of a Catharsis if you will, which gives great relief.

1. Why can’t the car manufacturers have seat height adjustment on both front seats instead of only on the driver’s seat? It is NOT a foregone conclusion that ONLY those who occupy the Driver’s seat are ‘height-challenged’.
2. Why does a land-locked ‘Union Territory’ like Delhi
have to have cheaper fuel than other parts of India including coastal areas and areas where the fuel is actually refined?
3. Why can’t we have an uniform Road Tax and Fuel Tax Structure on an All India level?
4. When our city authorities embark on any large scale project like a flyover or metro line or similar, and take over much of the road surface with their scaffolding and barriers, why can’t they ensure that what is left of the road, is properly surfaced and properly maintained?
5. Why are Bus Stops so poorly located, contributing in no mean measure, to bottlenecks and traffic jams?
6. Why do these Ministers and Bureaucrats require convoys and cavalcades?
7. Why can’t the fuel companies be transparent and mark the pump dispensers properly with the correct ethanol content levels and offer a choice to the public like they do abroad?
8. Why not create and enforce a permanent ban on LED’s and Strobe Lights and flashing blue and red lights and high beams?
9. Why can’t the authorities embed the ‘cat’s eyes’ to make them flush with the road surface instead of having them sticking out and causing irritation and damage to the tyres.
10. Why can’t our builders of roads and bridges design the expansion joints properly to avoid the jolts when going over them?
11. Why can’t we enforce uniform speed breaker design?
12. Why do they have rumble strips along curves?

[DroopyGarfield]

Originally Posted by Emvi

1.
8. If Skoda is considered German and not Czech, then JLR should be seen as Indian rather than British.

All opinions/posts are truly unique in their own sense.

Wanted to add couple of pointers for determining nationality of car companies in this age of Globalism and MNCs:

1. Skoda has majority of the R&D, implying heavy expense of developing transmission/engine/chassis, performed by VW HQ and Skoda Czech adopts "skin" (read different body panels or headlight designs).

2. JLR has majority of R&D done in England and Indian parent company merely assembles the CKD kits in places like India. This means English citizens are employed in majority of JLR and subsequently, monitor and control the decisions. Indian parent group, TML, would exercise governance control but does not dictate (IMO) any tactical stuff or other decisions, apart from Finance. In reality, JLR executives have a better shot at becoming overall CEO of parent group TML as well.

All of the above points that automobile development is a heavy investment. The nationality of any automotive company is normally presumed to belong to the geography where the HQ is located *and* majority of R&D occurs. The HQ, indirectly through finance, and R&D dictate the course of the company in normal course and thus, give nationality to a non-living entity.

PS: tagging nationality to companies is actually very subjective and losing its flavor in this age of global supply chain. Bata is not an Indian footwear brand, so is Maggi (parent company Nestle is registered in Switzerland). All of these is to provide some marketing buzzword.

[Carma2017]

1) Team BHP used to be a forum of Auto Enthusiasts. Let us be more enthusiastic about cars and tech, rather than focus on rants and negatives. Appreciation and explanation of new tech and innovations makes reading such forums worthwhile. Fanboy fights are not entertaining.

2) Indian market is not the same as Global market. Global solutions will not necessarily work in India. So, let's not ask for every piece of Global tech in our cars for India. I love it when I see genuinely smart India focussed innovations. One of the reasons I love Mahindra is because of this trait. Our needs cannot be decided by a Tom, Dick or Harry sitting in offices in Europe, US, Korea or Japan.

3) Unless GOI serves up Autobahns and expressways with the requisite safety mechanisms, we should not allow cars to speed beyond a certain point. Let's face it, a very small minority actually follow the speed limits mentioned on highways and expressways. The risks these higher speeds entail is enormous. There are errant drivers galore and patchworks even on newly built roads which can destabilize speeding cars easily. With SUV looking tall vehicles ruling the roost, the "topple-ability" of these speeding cars us very high. A very interesting observation during my recent trip to India was about cars speeding on the expressway and slowing down just before speed cameras / police vans. The abrupt slowing down creates a different nuisance.

4) Education courses on safe driving should be mandatory from school levels to sensitize kids from an early age. In a country like ours, where Car penetration is more than that of education, this becomes need of the hour to prevent monsters on the roads.

[trinity0114]

1. Most boring and yawn inducing car brand: Toyota

2. Worst carmaker currently in India: Hyundai

3. European cars are head and shoulders above their Asian counterparts in terms of build, dynamics, tech and chassis and things like ride and handling are not just placebo

4. I have had great service experience with Fiat/Jeep, Tata and bad with Hyundai

5. MG and other Chinese auto companies should be shunted out of India

6. Atleast 70% Creta, Fortuner and Thar drivers are a nuisance on the road

7. Most of the macho drivers who are flying on the highways suddenly become like a puppy when they encounter fog and start tailgating any vehicle they find

[Karthik Chandra]

Many may not agree with this post.

I'm of the opinion that 4WD is a feature and is not confined to SUVs which is a body style . Hence when I hear people say no 4WD = no SUV I find it funny.

There are Station wagons, Sedans, Hatchbacks, MPVs which have 4WD along with SUVs.

E Class all terrain gets 4WD, so is it an SUV or is Thar RWD not an SUV?

Conclusion:

4WD = Feature
SUV = Body style