Dec 11, 2009 12:47 AM
9569 Views
(Updated Jun 17, 2015 06:30 PM)
Hi everyone! I am writing this review after using our Maruti 800 for 17yrs;) . In 2004 my father bought a White Maruti Suzuki Alto LXi and in December my Red Maruti 800 was sent back to its original home i.e. Nayagarh, Orissa
Our family's first car was our Red Maruti 800 Std(non-AC). It was delivered in January, 1987 by Rolta Motors Limited(now defunct) of Cuttack and cost us Rs 76, 000. It was the 2nd Generation model after the first generation model of 1983. My father said that the Rolta Motors man who sold the car to us was a Foreigner working for Suzuki Motor Corporation of Japan, he told my father that we were probably the first customer in whole of India to get the latest 2nd Generation model. My dad said back in 1987 in Cuttack, there were only 5-6 Maruti 800s in the whole city which included us. Our Maruti 800 was actually built as a Completely Knocked down kit(CKD) and had been imported from Japan beacuse each and every part right from the Engine, Chassis, Head Lights, Tail Lights etc etc all were "Made in Japan" and were only assembled at Gurgaon. On the Car's bonnet the black rectangular safety lock had a inverted Red Triangle with silver strips on it whereas future Maruti 800s had the Maruti Logo in a Golden background. On the Steering wheel the name "MARUTI" was written in English and not in Hindi. There was no "Maruti written in Hindi" in the tail gate(only the rectangular "MARUTI SUZUKI" batch was there).
The whole car was so solid built. We used our Maruti 800 so much. From Cuttack it came to Bombay in 1989 driven by my father's friend and two other drivers. In 1993 we shifted to Baroda and made our journey through car(i still remember we had stopped at Daman on the way and in the evening were sitting next to the beach where my parents had tea and I and my sisters had sandwiches;). At Baroda we used to make so many trips to Ahmedabad by car. In 1999 it arrived at Mumbai again from Baroda. It was driven to Mumbai by my father and Cousin brother who now resides in Sydney. Over all I think our Maruti 800 must have made more than 300, 000 Kms.
In November 2004 we bought a White Maruti Suzuki Alto LXi. In the parking space on one side our brand new White Alto LXi and on the other side our 17yr old Red Maruti 800, it felt very wierd. The Vitesse man who inspected our Maruti 800 said he will offer us Rs 60, 000 in exchange, but when my father said that this was a 1987 model, he could'nt believe his eyes. My father had maintained our Maruti 800 so well that it looked like a 1997 model. The Alto LXi was more solid and better built then our Maruti 800 but I was in no mood to look at the new car as our old Maruti 800 was going to make one last trip in Mumbai, it was being sent to Nayagarh, Orissa. My father gave our Maruti 800 for one last servicing and in December, 2004 my uncle from Nayagarh came and took away our Maruti 800. I remember hearing our Maruti 800's horn and the left hand side indicator glowing as it left our building on the night of December, 2004 to make a 1, 400Km journey to Nayagarh via Madhya Pradesh and Chattisgarh - All this for the one last time. That night I was so sad. I actually cried alot because I felt some family member has just left us. I used to cry alot when I use to see the old pictures of our Maruti 800 until I got used to the Alto LXi. Every one in my family was sad. When I was born in January, 1988 I came home for the first time in that car, In 1991 I first went to Nursery School in that car, In 2004 I learnt driving for the first time in that car. Our Maruti 800 was more than a family member to us. After our Maruti 800 left us, we did not park the new Alto LXi in our Maruti 800's parking space. We decided to park it some where else. Even today our Maruti 800's parking space still lies empty.
Our Maruti 800 had no AC, no Power Steering, no Power Windows, no Seat Belts, no Central Locking, No tinted glass, no electronic Trip meter, no Tachometer, no "MP3 Player" and every other feature which you find in a Modern day Car but even without all this it was so nice and exciting to drive it. It was so simple yet so good.
I just hope they never sell this car and keep it forever as it was the first car in our family. who knows maybe after 50yrs from now it will be a Vintage car. Its almost 23years old now but still strong as ever and Highway capable. My uncle said in the Highway our Maruti 800 did not give a single problem. The engine was as smooth as Butter. I miss it always when I drive the Alto LXi. I actually felt like Crying while writing this review as it reminded me of our Maruti 800. After this my dad decided not to keep the Alto LXi or any future car we buy for a long time beacause then you get attached to the car so much as if its your family member and it really hurts to see when you have to let it go. I have felt this many times that the "Joy and excitement you feel" while buying a Basic small car, you won't feel that while buying a Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Porsche, Audi etc etc.
It because of Our Maruti 800 that we always stick to Maruti Suzuki. When it comes to small cars we trust only one brand i.e. MARUTI SUZUKI. Hyundai, Tata, Chevrolet, Ford etc etc also make good cars but we will always invest our money in a Japanese or German Car brand only no matter what.:)
