The Indian dilemma of buying substandard cars . Review on General Tips on Buying a Car

When I returned to India after working fifteen years in the Gulf, I found that the cars in India are expensive and substandard compared to the cars we used there. After studying the market I realized that the Indians are cheated dearly by the car companies. Why is it so?

Probably in the past, we slavishly adhered to Ambassador and Premier Padmini. I remember my childhood when anybody having a Premier Padmini is considered having tastes while people having an Ambassador are pragmatic.

Gone are those days, thanks to the advent of Maruti 800 and the other vehicles that rolled out from their plants.

It was a clean sweep for the average Indian who used two wheelers and three wheelers for conveyance. And it’s a good car for a small family. Two adults in the front and two children in the rear. Small, efficient, and cheap. For those who used an auto-rickshaw, it’s a fine car. But as we compare it to the REAL cars available in the rest of the world in those days, we find how pathetic the Indian car has been.

Well, as we have stuck with the Ambassador and the Premier Padmini, we take the Maruti also to our heart and proudly pampered our dreams. A dad of my friend, an excellent Ophthalmologist, sold his huge Chevrolet and bought this one for to be killed instantly in an accident a few weeks later. Well, fate might have played its trick.

After many years, our government opened our car market to international manufactures, and we happily thought that at last we are going to enjoy the cars the Europeans and the Japanese were enjoying for years.

I don't know how many have realized that we have been deceived dearly for dreaming so. At least, those who have been to the other countries and enjoyed the flush and luxury of the cars available in those lands understand this.

Every car that is sold here is altered to suit the Indian condition as if this is a place on the moon. Well, after such modifications, I think we should get a better car, as our roads are not good. If the suspension is altered to suit the Indian condition, then it must be a better one but unfortunately we get a bad one. I can't find a reason for this. Instead of improving the car they impair the vehicle and give it to us with a big price tag. Charged for the modifications! Have you ever thought of the imported cars on the Indian roads before this sea change? Without any modifications they lasted here a lifetime without giving the owner much headache.

Suzuki is a brand that we use sparingly in the Gulf.  I was shocked when I saw the price tag of Toyota Camry here. Taxes, taxes, taxes. The manufacturer is excused.

Why do I write about this? I noticed the reviews and publicity that is given to Suzuki Swift. It’s just overrated. I don't know why people are running after it as if it is boon. First of all, Maruti cheated us by fixing the outdated Esteem engine in it. What do the Europeans get?  Why didn't Suzuki come to India with the same vehicle? Oh! The poor Indian deserves only a substandard one. He is foolish to make huge bookings for it.

I saw the car, took a test drive, and came home safe.

My humble advice to my fellow beings is that don't rush. Wait a bit longer. See how this craggy one is going to run on our roads. Why do we try to prove ourselves dim when others have already considered us stupid?