[KungFuPanda]

Hello everyone!

This is KungFuPanda signing in. I have been vicariously taking pleasure in reading articles on the Team-BHP forum since 2009 and finally decided to take the plunge to be a part of this great community in 2019. Can't believe that I took a decade to shore up the courage to join the team, but here's hoping that I make up for lost time in sharing my experiences with all of you.

Over the past decade, Team-BHP has helped me with many decisions in my life, most importantly the cars that have kept my heart racing all these years (Linea 1.3 MJD, Alto K10, Skoda Octavia vRS) and also in helping me answer questions that I had on everything from the mundane Indian Income Tax laws! (All Income Tax Queries (refunds, disputes, rates etc...)) to the life changing Merkur HD DE Razor (Life on a Razor Edge...Shaving the retro way)

I stumbled upon Team-BHP whilst trying to read more reviews of a car that my family had already bought in 2009 - the drool worthy Linea 1.3 MJD. Boy, what a looker the car is, even today. And that is not even my favorite thing about the car. Hand over heart, this is the best handling car that I have driven till date. Love the feeling of the steering and the way it makes the driver feel one with the road. Nirvana!



Come 2011, my to be wifey was keen on picking up an entry level car. We blindly put her money on the 2010 model Alto K10 after reading the Team-BHP review, and we haven't looked back since. We have traveled half the country in this car, and it has been such a fun to drive, easy to maintain car. This pocket rocket really came into its own on the ghats (Ooty, Kodaikanal, Wayanad, Coorg).



And finally in 2018, after getting tiered of taking badly maintained Uber / Ola cabs in Gurgaon (or so I told myself and my wife ) we took the plunge and bought our latest possession, the Skoda Octavia vRS.

After the mandatory pooja ritual.


Fresh from a wash at 3M.




I have to admit that this was a completely heart over mind decision. That said, I genuinely think that this is a great value for money car (this is another thing i keep telling my wife! :P) since it is probably the only sedan in the country that ticks pretty much all the boxes. Power - check, Comfort - check, Handling - check, Safety - check, ICE - check (even if one is an audiophile, this isn't a deal breaker). In any case, I am sure that I will go on to enjoy many miles in this car travelling the rest of the country that we haven't yet covered in the Alto.

And that brings me to my other passion. Like many others on this forum, my wife and I love road trips and exploring the vast landscape that is India. We clock at least two trips by road a year. Most of our drives have been in South India, and a couple in the North. A few pics of our recent trip to Nainital.







I also get to travel a fair bit in the country and in South East Asia for work (Hospitality industry) and indulge in my passion for good food much to the chagrin of wifey.

Now that I have earned my rite of passage into Team-BHP, I will try and contribute to the forum as much as I can and help many others like myself who walk these corridors (by membership, silent visitors, stalkers et al.).

[sukiwa]

Originally Posted by KungFuPanda

This is KungFuPanda signing in.

Welcome to the forum. Also say Hi to master 'Shifu'.

[GTO]

Welcome aboard! Great to have you with us. Really like your writing style .

Originally Posted by KungFuPanda

Linea 1.3 MJD, Alto K10, Skoda Octavia vRS

Sweet garage, man! Each is unique & fun-to-drive in its own special way, including that little Alto.

I have to admit that this was a completely heart over mind decision.

we all got to live a little.

Looking forward to an ownership report of your vRS & some beautiful travelogues!

[KungFuPanda]

Thanks GTO!!

I will have to make an effort to click pictures for the travelogues, and as many as possible. Not my forte; my friends who know me will tell you that I am a big panda at heart. But if they had their way, my avatar would be of Grumpy from the seven dwarfs, and who wants too many pictures of that pretty face . Note to self, take pics of the sexy ride and the beautiful landscape.