The silence of 5 years ends now

Miel · 4th February 2012, 19:42

Hello Team-Bhpians !!!

The Moderators approved my membership in December 2011, but I made time to type this introduction only now.
I have been a guest reader of the threads on Team-Bhp since 2007. Being a professional writer, that is indeed too much reading and no writing. So, let me change that!

Location: I hail from Trivandrum in Kerala, and am currently working in Bangalore.

Profession: Though I hold a Masters in Computer Apps, I took to Technical Writing and am currently with the Robotics division of a Swedish electrical engineering conglomerate.

Age: I got my DL a month after I turned 18, which was 11 years and 3 months ago.

And of course, cars and Me: My fascination with cars is as old as the oldest memories in my mind. Automobiles of all kinds and times interest me.
I was born into a joint-family in Kerala which owned a HM Ambassador Mark II (initially a petrol, later given a Matador diesel engine) and a Willys Jeep Station Wagon (4x4 with Perkins 4-192 Diesel engine). By the time I turned 12 the aging Willys was replaced with an MM540 4x4 (with the Peugeot diesel engine) - that's the vehicle I learnt driving in, and drove till I turned 22. The Amby was replaced with a humble Maruti 800 AC - this car is still there with us. Once my family sold off our agricultural land, we stopped having jeeps. Its place in the garage was taken up by a Indigo CS DiCOR in 2008. The M800 is used for city runs and the CS for the highways. Meanwhile, being in a joint family living in the same compound, through the years I have used my uncles cars too - Padmini 137D, Zen MH410, Alto, and a Ford Icon Duratorq.
Now, you may notice that in the above paragraph I have put in Bold only the Jeeps. Why? Those are two machines which I would love to own someday, sooner or later. They are kind of the "ones-that-got-away" for me

.
However, on 22nd October 2011, I and my wife bought our first car - Tata Vista Quadrajet VX. I use this car in Bangalore. It has covered 3k kms so far, and is everything I expected it to be and a little bit more. Maybe I'll talk more about it in a 5k or 10k Ownership thread.

bejoy · 4th February 2012, 20:14

Welcome to Team-BHP MIEL!
You can't beat me, I made my first post after 5 years of joining!

Yea, me too an avid reader here. Most of the stuff I look for are already here.

And congrats on your new car! Wish you many more happy miles!

Regards,
Bejoy

Miel · 5th February 2012, 20:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by bejoy

Most of the stuff I look for are already here.

That's a fact that can't be retold enough. May it be about a set of wheels, or an interesting journey to some special locale, or a restoration, or a mod job, it's all in all probability already done and talked about in Team-Bhp.

iFuel · 6th February 2012, 00:23

Welcome to the Team Miel. That would be interesting story I'd, or rather we all would like to know, how you moved from jeeps to an Indica. I would have thought of something else. Anyways have fun here and hope to see you more often.

Miel · 6th February 2012, 10:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by iFuel

That would be interesting story I'd, or rather we all would like to know, how you moved from jeeps to an Indica.

I did not move out of Jeeps. My family did!

Once our agricultural land was sold off, the elders deemed it unwise to have an oil burning mud plugger taking up garage space. The MM540 had covered 80k by then. I guess I was the only one bitten by the Jeep bug. For others in the family it was less about passion-for-jeeps and more about utility.

Fast forward to last year, I tried my best to convince the Wife to say yes for a Bolero Storm Vlx CRDE. She used to lament, "Look, the hinges are on the outside!". I would reply in glee, "Yeah! Isn't that just beautiful!". By the time the argument was settled, MM pulled the plug on the fastest Bolero yet

So, I turned my attention to the "lesser cars". I have been a long time fan of the Fiat Multijet Diesel engine and awaited the launch of the new Swift. But having experienced the space of an Indigo, the new Swift left me depressed on that front. That's when Tata brought out the latest avatar of the Vista. I know that a Tata Ownership is full of little irritating niggles, but having lived through it before, I decided to plunge in again. ALL FOR SPACE SAKE !!! Oh and, I am 6ft tall. Hence roominess is very important for me.
All said, I swear my next car will be a jeep.

MileCruncher · 6th February 2012, 17:00

@Miel: Welcome to TBHP. I'm sure you'll have a good time in here. Before posting further may I suggest going through the TBHP Forum rules especially the ones about language.

We expect better output from professional writers.

Cheers

drpullockaran · 6th February 2012, 17:38

I guess you work in the Robotic division of Asea Brown Boveri. If you do could you enlighten us as as to whether there is a chassis straightening machine any where in India other than in Mumbai. From what I gathered there is only one true machine in India and its with one of the service centers of BMW. Why I ask this is because in the event of a collision and a bent chassis it would be total loss for all vehicles because the repair guys cannot straighten the chassis to its true state.
http://www.abb.com/robotics

This is the manual model I am talking about. Do ABB make the automated unit?
http://trade.indiamart.com/details.mp?offer=3288218359

Miel · 6th February 2012, 18:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by MileCruncher

... I suggest going through the TBHP Forum rules especially the ones about language.

Good suggestion indeed MileCruncher!

I searched for and found the forum’s language rules at the following location.

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/announ...etiquette.html

I gave it a thorough read. It serves as the language and style guide for this forum. I am happy to say that this forum is quite the gentleman’s forum. I will keep your expectations in mind for all future posts.

Zed · 6th February 2012, 21:58

Its the framework of rules that makes this form unique & the moderators do a thorough job to make sure things are in check. But in the spirit of the portal all of us ought to pay attention to content and language. Great to see your positive attitude to the feedback provided by our fellow member. A technical writer for the robotics division of a Scandinavian conglomerate - now there's an eyeball grabber in a resume!

Welcome to the forum and looking forward to your posts.

MileCruncher · 7th February 2012, 09:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by Miel

I gave it a thorough read. It serves as the language and style guide for this forum.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zed

Its the framework of rules that makes this form unique & the moderators do a thorough job to make sure things are in check. But in the spirit of the portal all of us ought to pay attention to content and language.

Grammar is equally important apart content and language.

Please note that "break" is not equal to "brake".

Cheers

Miel · 7th February 2012, 13:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by MileCruncher

Grammar is equally important apart content and language.

Yes. Grammar is equally important apart from content and language.
By helping one another, we can help all members achieve better skills in grammar, content and language.

Quote:

Originally Posted by MileCruncher

... "break" is not equal to "brake".

That is one of my favourite examples. One of the most common instances is the caution notice you find on the rear end of vehicles, which loudly states “Caution: Power Break”. They actually mean, “Caution: Power Brake”. The error might unwittingly lead people to think that the driver is cautioning them about his tendency to take power naps at the wheel.

V-16 · 7th February 2012, 14:53

Welcome Miel. Altough you have positioned yourself as the "Silent Types"

it is good that you have finally come on the forum. Im sure being a guest reader and then a Member reader you must have gone through the board rules.

We would love to hear from you on any aspect pf motoring that you would like to discuss. Personally, i would be very interested in your Vista report when it does cross the 5k kms barrier and from there on. Have heard so many horror stories re the Tatas that it almost becomes imperative to learn about their vehicles, first hand from owners like you.

Not wanting to scare you as im sure you must have done your home work before investing in your car but Tata is also one of the fastest learning auto manufactures who mend their mistakes and upgrade their products towards a better vehicle.

All the best, Happy Revving.

4th February 2012, 19:42	#1
Miel BHPian Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: BLR-COK-TRV Posts: 267 Thanked: 845 Times	The silence of 5 years ends now Hello Team-Bhpians !!! The Moderators approved my membership in December 2011, but I made time to type this introduction only now. I have been a guest reader of the threads on Team-Bhp since 2007. Being a professional writer, that is indeed too much reading and no writing. So, let me change that! Location: I hail from Trivandrum in Kerala, and am currently working in Bangalore. Profession: Though I hold a Masters in Computer Apps, I took to Technical Writing and am currently with the Robotics division of a Swedish electrical engineering conglomerate. Age: I got my DL a month after I turned 18, which was 11 years and 3 months ago. And of course, cars and Me: My fascination with cars is as old as the oldest memories in my mind. Automobiles of all kinds and times interest me. I was born into a joint-family in Kerala which owned a HM Ambassador Mark II (initially a petrol, later given a Matador diesel engine) and a Willys Jeep Station Wagon (4x4 with Perkins 4-192 Diesel engine). By the time I turned 12 the aging Willys was replaced with an MM540 4x4 (with the Peugeot diesel engine) - that's the vehicle I learnt driving in, and drove till I turned 22. The Amby was replaced with a humble Maruti 800 AC - this car is still there with us. Once my family sold off our agricultural land, we stopped having jeeps. Its place in the garage was taken up by a Indigo CS DiCOR in 2008. The M800 is used for city runs and the CS for the highways. Meanwhile, being in a joint family living in the same compound, through the years I have used my uncles cars too - Padmini 137D, Zen MH410, Alto, and a Ford Icon Duratorq. Now, you may notice that in the above paragraph I have put in Bold only the Jeeps. Why? Those are two machines which I would love to own someday, sooner or later. They are kind of the "ones-that-got-away" for me . However, on 22nd October 2011, I and my wife bought our first car - Tata Vista Quadrajet VX. I use this car in Bangalore. It has covered 3k kms so far, and is everything I expected it to be and a little bit more. Maybe I'll talk more about it in a 5k or 10k Ownership thread. Attached Thumbnails
	(2) Thanks

4th February 2012, 20:14	#2
bejoy BHPian Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: KA01 Posts: 962 Thanked: 1,505 Times View My Garage	Re: The silence of 5 years ends now Welcome to Team-BHP MIEL! You can't beat me, I made my first post after 5 years of joining! Yea, me too an avid reader here. Most of the stuff I look for are already here. And congrats on your new car! Wish you many more happy miles! Regards, Bejoy
	(2) Thanks

6th February 2012, 00:23	#4
iFuel BHPian Join Date: May 2011 Location: New Delhi , Gurgaon & Chandigarh Posts: 130 Thanked: 88 Times	Re: The silence of 5 years ends now Welcome to the Team Miel. That would be interesting story I'd, or rather we all would like to know, how you moved from jeeps to an Indica. I would have thought of something else. Anyways have fun here and hope to see you more often.
	() Thanks

6th February 2012, 17:00	#6
MileCruncher Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: MH01 Posts: 4,342 Thanked: 916 Times View My Garage	Re: The silence of 5 years ends now @Miel: Welcome to TBHP. I'm sure you'll have a good time in here. Before posting further may I suggest going through the TBHP Forum rules especially the ones about language. We expect better output from professional writers. Cheers
	(4) Thanks

6th February 2012, 17:38	#7
drpullockaran BHPian Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: ERNAKULAM Posts: 962 Thanked: 385 Times	Re: The silence of 5 years ends now I guess you work in the Robotic division of Asea Brown Boveri. If you do could you enlighten us as as to whether there is a chassis straightening machine any where in India other than in Mumbai. From what I gathered there is only one true machine in India and its with one of the service centers of BMW. Why I ask this is because in the event of a collision and a bent chassis it would be total loss for all vehicles because the repair guys cannot straighten the chassis to its true state. http://www.abb.com/robotics This is the manual model I am talking about. Do ABB make the automated unit? http://trade.indiamart.com/details.mp?offer=3288218359 Last edited by drpullockaran : 6th February 2012 at 17:45.
	() Thanks

6th February 2012, 21:58	#9
Zed BHPian Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Germany Posts: 516 Thanked: 488 Times	Re: The silence of 5 years ends now Its the framework of rules that makes this form unique & the moderators do a thorough job to make sure things are in check. But in the spirit of the portal all of us ought to pay attention to content and language. Great to see your positive attitude to the feedback provided by our fellow member. A technical writer for the robotics division of a Scandinavian conglomerate - now there's an eyeball grabber in a resume! Welcome to the forum and looking forward to your posts.
	(1) Thanks

7th February 2012, 14:53	#12
V-16 Senior - BHPian Join Date: May 2005 Location: mumbai Posts: 4,594 Thanked: 954 Times View My Garage	Re: The silence of 5 years ends now Welcome Miel. Altough you have positioned yourself as the "Silent Types" it is good that you have finally come on the forum. Im sure being a guest reader and then a Member reader you must have gone through the board rules. We would love to hear from you on any aspect pf motoring that you would like to discuss. Personally, i would be very interested in your Vista report when it does cross the 5k kms barrier and from there on. Have heard so many horror stories re the Tatas that it almost becomes imperative to learn about their vehicles, first hand from owners like you. Not wanting to scare you as im sure you must have done your home work before investing in your car but Tata is also one of the fastest learning auto manufactures who mend their mistakes and upgrade their products towards a better vehicle. All the best, Happy Revving.
	() Thanks