Folks,
Since last 2 years I was in Cyprus. Recently I came back to India - Pune. When in Cyprus, I was dying to be back in India and was bubbling to be straight into the Tata Motors showroom Pune. Well it actually took me couple of days to give them the first visit...thanks to one of my dear freinds who recently bought an Optra elite and was not ready to let me to any other car showroom. Well...I must say his car looks stunning. But, all that silent smooth drive of Optra could not convince me not to visit the tatas and have a dekko at the beast.
So I call the Tata guys...both Pundit auto and BU Bhandari. The respose is all music to ears. Thanks to the month of December, they were ready to send a 'palaki' for me. I was homepicked. They sent me a top end Safari Dicor, diesel, 4*2 - a golden beauty - with probably their humblest of sales executive. The guys was, least to say, very nice! Impressive!
So I start the visual inspection form outside-
Overall look - Personally to me...yummy....worth dying for!
Take a closer look - He He He...Tata motors all the way. Need I say more? Thums Down!
Open the door - Heavy door. Wow. But wait...what the heck...the handles are so 'naazuk' they almost felt like coming out in your hands. It gives shivers every time you open the safari door...believe me.
So take a seat - WOW http://www. What comfort...what view...I felt like a Maharaja. Bravo...
So seat belts now - God save the queen...Paper thin! My santro's and accent's was many times superior. I said to myself, silk is smoother and lighter but better than cotton. May be we have teh same simily here...Chalega.
So lets adjust the mirrors - Side mirrors - Man!!! BIGGG! What a view! Now ...Rear view mirror - Couldn't decide why do they have it there in the first place. Could not see anything in that mirror anyhow. Too smallish window on backdoor. I am totally undecided so far...
And the switches all around...kabari bazaar se laya kya? Poor!
So lets switch on...oh dear...where is teh keyhole? where? here? no no no...not here! where then? buddy will you tell me? Sir hey na...dekhiye zara...are nahin hai yaar...sir try to find...its there....no buddy I swear...its not there. Eureka! I found it. Its there in some gorge or valley somewhere. I try to insert the key...and may be I am too old now...but it took me 30...means thirty seconds to enter her (c'mon...i meant enter the key in the slot).
So I start the engine. Steeroid told me to expectr vibrations. I waited...i was silent...everybody was silent...but no vibrations. Wow. I am a happy man. Again looking at the half full glass.
I want to change the gear now...press clutch...dam laga ke haisha...dam laga ke haisha...sweating...kya hai yaar? Its tight guys. Felt like a truck. Ok nevermind Mr. Gupta. Move teh gear stick...comfy...decent...no probs there.
3...2...1...go! and we go...not bad! Not bad at all. People said the old safari was bad. I never driven it. But this was was satisfying. It was not a jet but not a let down by any means. So was everything good? NO!!!
As soon as Mr. Gupta removes his foot from the accelerator, there is a 'jhataka'! A jerk. Mr. Gupta will need practice here may be...! Mr. More (the salesman) tell me that sir this is a feature. As soon as you remove your foot, fuel supply is completely stopped. This will give you a good mileage. May be my digestion was bad that day...I puked when I heard this. But may be this is because I am a poor softy guy (read software engineer please :-)). You guys may tell better. Anyhow...in city driving what hurts most are two things - 1) Absence of a dead pedal near clutch pedal. From my accent days I am used to it and I think it is one of the most thoughful items. 2) I wear a size 12 shoe...ok OK they don't make many like me these days...but then I found a serious lack of space above the clutch pedal. My foot would invariably get stuck in teh plastic above! This alone is a sure shot reason for me to DISCARD the vehicle...alas...i loved it. But what a shame...not enough room for a big foot over clutch pedal...ever heard that one?
Still...I go on. I drive fast...the vehicle runs fast. Pune roads - BIGGG Thumbs Down. Safari ride - BIGG Thumbs up. Stop thinking about bad roads folks. You don't need roads when you are in the beast. It RULES!!!
My wife exclaims...see we got LCD screens on the head rests of front seats. So we switch on a DVD for her to watch. Welll...one can rather do without! 5 '' screen has actually 2.5'' display in cinemascope mode...and that's nothing to die for.
I stop the car. Put it in reverse...and cooooool. On the front rear view mirror, a 2.5'' * 2.5'' display of the backside emerges. Very attractive. Clear and wide display. definitely a help.
In Pune City, there are a lots of Optras and Innovas and Corollas. I don't know if they are real headturners or not. BUT THIS BABE IS...It RULES! IT HAS A PRESENCE! For the 30 minutes I drove it...it commanded respect from one and all.
And did I tell you about teh brakes? They scared teh hell out of me. You need to really push teh pedal down before teh brakes start doing anything. Mr. More tells me - sir it is because of teh ABS. You will not feel teh same in teh lower end versions. So I try a LX also. And he was correct! Buttttt. The braking is far from satisfactory. It is scary. May be one needs to get used to it.
And teh funniest part...he he he...the steering!!! I am rolling! Ha Ha Ha! It has a huge play. Jhatke marta hai man! 3-6'' play if I am not exxagerating. Both side. Move teh steering...the vehicles does not move...go straight...move it a bit more...same...a bit more and a sudden movement...zor ka zhatka dheere se lage! Mr. More, '' What is this?'' Sir, feature hai! This help you not to hit side vehicles in City. MRRRRRRR. MOREEEEEE! Nahin....
And the last two seats...in teh boot. ''Thou shall not sit there ever''. If you do, your poor family members will never see you again probably. You will break the same way Tom and Jerry break many times...into chote chote chote chote pieces. But then...DID YOU SAY YOU EVEN CONSIDERED THE 6th and 7th SEAT AS A REASON TO BUY ''SAFARI''. Go Away! You don't even deserve the beast!
So, we get down! Have a cup of tea at Bhandari's. Everybody watching us...My wife and I look at each other. We recall the thumbs up...one.....and....and.....and....yeah 1.5 and .....and....OK 2.0! That's all. No more! Ok then teh thumbs down...2, 4, 8, 10, 15, 25, ...stop stop stop!
The choice was obvious!
Instead there was no choice at all!
The thumbs down were far too many....
This was also the month of December....
How can one buy a 10 L vehicle in December?
But anyhow, did that matter?
So, embarassed, we look at each other, looked at the Tata Guys...
finished our tea...
said thanks to Mr. More...
told his manager what a fine guy he was...
how satisfied we were with teh service....
picked our bag...
and took out the chequebook...
entered a huge figure...
and signed it!
Tomorrow, I will get the beast delived!
We are spellbound...
waiting...
can't sleep...
waiting for the beast to arrive...
waiting for the first hunt!
LONG LIVE TATA SAFARI!!!
It RULES!
