My 2nd Car Decision

To start this essay, may I remind you that I am from a very humble back ground. I was born in a Govt. hospital of North Calcutta and brought up in a very middle class family. When I look back to my childhood, it sometimes appears that the present segment of life (full of state of art gizmos, car and a 3BHK flat, rented though) is a dream rather than reality.

 

My present employer is none other that Govt. of India, who has been nurturing my growth (materially and otherwise – in all aspects). And under its aegis I earned everything (again, materially and otherwise) other than the legacy that I had as inheritance.

 

Recently, when I saw almost all my colleagues are buying new cars (mostly Honda City or its comparables), I wondered whatever may have happened to everyone. Ultimately it came into the fore that almost all first cars of ours are completing 15 years or so. Therefore, if we relocate on transfer, the “my dear” first car shall be redundant owing to India ’s national RTO norm.

 

After lot of discussion and quite some contemplation, I also decided for a new car. Honda City (or its comparables) is definitely gorgeous. No doubt among the peers, or otherwise, a car like this enhances one’s societal values. Not only that, it is a dream car to drive comfortably.

 

However, a few points came into fore while taking the final call :

 

Most of the colleagues are using Honda City as a speciality car (being used in special occasions), while regularly using the 1st car (Maruti 800 – nonA/c) for its easy maneuverability. When grilled, all of them said that parking in the main city is a trouble for Honda City, which is not for Maruti 800.

 

Almost at the same time, a news item caught my fancy. The boom in the car market in India is bolstered mainly by the hatchback. And in all segment of this, Maruti-Suzuki is the crowned king, so far as the market share is concerned. I am a typical Indian, who averts dreaming big.

 

In my rented premises, I can park only one car and one scooter.

 

I have been driving Maruti Omni for 14 years. And I hate negotiating the left back corner of my car in busy traffic, as this part of the car is farthest from my driving seat. (I have been subconsciously longing for a small car to drive through the hurling city traffic, due to this single reason). Many of my colleagues maintained that the same is true for Honda City also.

 

My personality (whatever it is) vis-à-vis Honda City reflects a “chauffer – car” relationship at the best. In the worst scenario, it may be a “cleaner – car“ one. As an owner, I shall never be able to flaunt a personality that goes seamlessly with that gorgeous 4 wheeler.

 

My family (i.e. my wife and daughter) is happy with a new car that would salvage them from sitting in the rear chamber of a bumpy van, that would force you to forget the word “comfort”. They do not have any fancy for a Sedan .

 

Put together, I zeroed in on 3 cars – Hyundai i10, Maruti Ritz and Maruti Swift, because Maruti and Hyundai are the two manufacturers, who could capture the sentiment of average Indians thanks to their omnipresent service centres.

 

Maruti Swift has already completed 5 years of its life in India . It is a good car, but there is nothing new about it. Hyundai i10 is the most favourite of mine among the three – but despite quite a few outstanding features, this car could not earn critical acclaims mainly due to space crunch in it. Maruti Ritz, already a superhit B segment hatchback in Europe in the name of “Splash”, is really a tall boy small car that brings fabulous freshness with slightly skewed exterior and huge cubic space in the interior. While a test drive, for a few kilometers, I concluded that THIS is my dream car. I became happier when my family members said that the ride was magnificent. They particularly enjoyed the smooth suspension, spacious interior and reasonably skewed look.

 

Here is the end of the story of my second car, which shall be delivered by end of this month. The colour shall be “pearl blue blaze” (to describe mineralogically, it is a deep grayish blue vitriol). I will get it fully loaded with accessories of matching colours and designs. Thanks for bearing with me. With n number of beautiful Sedans around, there was no point telling a detail story of acquiring an usual hatchback. Nevertheless, I felt like telling you about all aspect behind an extremely ordinary decision of mine. After all, the 2nd car is generally another extraordinary landmark of an ordinary life. Isn’t it?

Amit Roy Chowdhury

 

Spacious Interior, Skewed Design, Good fuel economy, Modern Technolology (K series engine).Bad internal furnishing, concave posterior