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Preamble:
It’s
an oft-encountered lament that while we talk about the 'foreign/latest technology'
and 'new generation' cars – at the same time we keep wondering how
they are more reliable than the ones we had earlier – especially from
post WW-II till the mid ‘80s – when the Maruti-800 totally revolutionised
the Indian Motoring Scene.
A typical ‘JD-Powers Survey’ Report or the likes of it would
state that India's ‘best quality car’ for the year under review
had 85 problems or so per 100 Vehicles - which means that 4 out of 5 of
them hade a problem within 3 to 5 months of their Delivery.
Why can’t we have ‘A Car’ that will not give any problem,
at least for 3-years/50,000 km??
This is an interesting subject. The reasons for what most people say are
very many and yet hardly any at all i.e it's mostly man-made. Let me put
it this way:
During the changed scenario between 1965 and now, I have had my share
of Ambys/Fiats, M-800s, Santros and what not. Up to and perhaps including
the latter, people by and large didn’t talk about the P/W ratios
and Acceleration figures or what have you.
I have hardly ever been let down on the Roads per se' worth mentioning,
other than an occasional flat tyre and in very early stages (1968), a
burst Radiator hose on my second love - a 1962 Fiat - now a Classic (My
first love appears in Part-II !). I didn't know then, that these things
too could give way, being ‘pressurised’.
Ever since, I have owned/driven and maintained about a dozen of them –
mostly with my own hands as per ‘OE Recommendations’ and I
dare say that I have had no ‘reliability’ problems. If at
all, the problem is 'poor workmanship and/or quality of parts' at the
various Garages people are forced to go to - organised or un.
On poor workmanship, I could yap for hours. Suffice to say that it’s
our National ‘work culture’ plus the inherent 'jealousy' on
part of the Mechanics, who are ‘forced’ to work on them as
a means of a livelihood. Deep within, they know that in their lifetime
they cannot dream of owning a Car like yours. For example, if it gets
bruised or scratched, they couldn't care less - for they are simply in
no position to put themselves in your place!
New Cars in our Country, where labour is cheap and competition not so
hot, may have some QC problems but none of the kind what cannot be sorted
out once for all. Like my '92 M-800 steering rack ball joint started to
rattle on the third or the fourth day itself and it was duly replaced
FOC under Warranty.
Similarly, the rear left Shock Absorber after some time, under Warranty.
It's drive input shaft oil seal between the Engine and the Gearbox developed
a leak after 8kkm only but by then it was out of ‘Warranty Period’
of 12-months !
Content
generated by S. K. Gupta. - 11/’02. |
