The D Day (D = Delivery):
After long hours in office that entire week and an agonizing wait, finally Saturday 30th June dawned.
At home, everybody was excited. I was super-excited. Couldn't sleep well because of the excitement. Had gotten up around 4:30AM. We wanted to take the elder brother Alto to Pune to bring home the younger brother XUV. Needed 2 drivers while coming back. I had called up my sister's driver the day before and asked him to join us at 8:00AM in the morning. He turns up on time. We were all set, but started only around 8:30AM (remember the dictat "delivery NOT before 10:30AM").
As we went to our Alto, my dear wife did something that amazed me. She had picked up some pedhas, a garland, flowers and other misc items for doing a puja of the new vehicle. Along with that, she had also picked up a separate garland for our Alto! I was touched. It was like not forgetting your old relationships when getting into new ones. We garlanded the Alto and started for Pune.
My sis's driver insisted that he would drive. I reluctantly agreed and got in the front-passenger seat. I have never travelled in that seat. It was a weird feeling with the seat-belt in the diagonally opposite direction to what I was used to. I took out the D90 and started shooting.
My family in the Alto's back-seat.
Spotted a Mini Cooper convertible at Khalapur fuel bunk. My daughter's favorite!
I texted the Sales Manager that we have started and to keep our vehicle ready. It was a beautiful day for driving. I snatched back the driver's seat after the Khalapur fuel bunk on the expressway. We reached the dealer's showroom around 11:30AM. While I got busy with paperwork, my wife told me that there is a XUV under a red veil parked on the other side of the showroom. Is it ours? I went there, checked the registration number plate (which was partially visible through the veil) and it was indeed our Duma.
My kidos in front of the veiled car
Wifey joined in.
I thought, why should I lose a photo opportunity?
While I went back to finish the paperwork, the dealership unveiled the car and got ready for the puja.
My son looked at our XUV and was awe-struck by the beauty.
You can make it out from his expression that he is quite impressed
My daughter joined him
The better-half started the puja
Red swastik on a red car. Hardly visible.
The tires got their moment of glory.
I broke a coconut in front of the car.
The puja-director from the dealership made me keep the coconut on the bonnet. I was already scared of getting scratches.
We were handed over the keys. The guy who is giving those keys is neither the SA that I dealt with nor the Sales-Manager. Not sure, if this chap's only responsibility is to hand-over keys.
They asked me to move the vehicle by a feet and I immediately jumped in the driver's seat.
The kids joined in and were amazed by seeing the touchscreen infotainment system up-close.
I inched the vehicle forward and got down. A expert driver from the dealership got the vehicle outside through a decently narrow glass door. Almost gave me a heart-attack when one of the sides of our cheetah came milimeters away from the door. Finally, after some maneuvering, the XUV reached outside.
Wife installed the mandatory Ganesh idol.
Next round of posing started.
Me with the kids
I grab hold of wifey for a quick photo-op.
The car went to the basement for getting the reverse-camera installed. While the camera got installed, we got a demo of all the features of the car. The Odo was showing 65kms. The demo guy did some magic and reset the odo to Zero. Its already 2 o'clock. We were hungry and tired. Had a light lunch nearby. Said goodbye to the SA and the sales-manager.
Its time to head home. Around 3:30PM we started from the dealer - me with entire family in the XUV and the driver in my Alto. Filled up diesel at the nearest bunk. Felt weird to instruct "diesel" to the pump-attendant. Got my first experience of Mahindra interior quality. Pressed the fuel-lid open button in the dash and the button went inside and vanished! I was looking at a gaping hole. Took it in the stride and did not let that incidence spoil our happiness.
Alto led the way on the Pune-Mumbai expressway. This is a rare photo showing my Alto in motion without me at the wheel.
The weather gods were pleased with us that day. The higher seating position meant I could see farther than usual.
I was putting the Duma through his paces, while our Alto was flying away on the expressway. Finally managed to catch up with the Alto at the Talegaon toll-plaza.
I concentrated on driving in the 80-110 range and saw a whole bunch of cars zooming past me. Mentally commented "meet me again on the expressway, when I am done with the running-in." :-)
After 2-3 tries figured out how to engage the cruise control. Set it on 100 for a minute or so, just to test it. The expressway drive was easy. After I got off the expressway, the traffic tested my diving skills in some patches.
Finally reached home around 6:00PM and parked in the building compound.
We couldn't believe it.
Our Duma is finally home!