Our First Car.

Recently I got involved with one of my friends to help him buy a suitable and a decent car. As a automobile enthusiast my friends usually approach me while making the final desicion before putting their hard earned money in a junk of steel.
We went around several showrooms to find out the features, riding comfort and price tag of some of the cars we shortlisted.
When I visited Maruti Showroom in Andheri ( Mumbai ), it reminded me of some memories of year 1993. That was the year when my Dad got his first car, the elegant Premier Padmini or popularly known as Fiat. I was in std 6th. Having it was like a dream come true for us specially my Grandmom as it was the the first car in our entire family. She really use to relish rides in that car and many times asked my dad for a "Hawa khane chalo" trip. She use to get very nervous when my dad was learning how to drive this beauty. That time I realized that kids never ever grow up for their parents. They will be kids only even at the age of 40.
I started driving at quite an early age, when I was in 8th std. To control that mammoth was really a tough task as there was nothing like power steering to assist you in those years.
But still I use to love that car out three which were available in the market that time, The Ambassador, The Fiat and The Maruti 800.
Things have really changed now. Owning a car is not a big deal. With the disposal income of the middle class increasing day by day and country flooded with new models of cars in each segment, pepople really dont have to think ten times before going for one. Before 15 years when there were only three cars available in the country, today there are more than three cars by several car makers and that too in each segment.
Well coming back to my friend, we really had a tough time in eliminating the options we shortlisted. I was amazed to see the crowd in the showroom. We actually had to wait for about 10mins before catching up with a sales man. 15 years back there were just two three people in that elegant Premier Padmini showroom. Needless to say most of the times it was their staff only.
The sales man showed us the car and explained the terms and condition nicely. When we asked him that how much time he will take to deliver the car, he said today. I was shocked. It took 6 months for Fiat.
Well the time has really changed. Liberal Economic policies of the government and uprising of India as the second most fastest growing economies of the world has really given millions of us a chance to dream about a car which usually becomes a family member. With that I also remember when we had to sell our first car in order to replace it with a new one. My dad, infact we all were really emotional to give away that car with which many momories of my Grandmom were attached.
Well for me it was because of that car only that today I have the confidence to handle any car on road. I wish those golden years of driving Fiat through Cantt of Bareilly could return back to my life.