WHAT ARE CAR ENTHUSIASTS DRIVING

What are you currently driving?

Mazda 6 (Premium Sedan)

Year

2014

What is the most striking feature about it?

Luxury, comfort and minimal maintenance

Which was your earlier car?

Mazda 3 (Sporty Sedan)

Why did you upgrade to the current one?

I wanted to try a luxury vehicle in a new segment.

Personality traits you share with your car…

Elegance, fun and style

What is next car on your wish list?

Mazda CX9 (SUV)

One song on repeat mode while driving?

Where the streets have no name by U2

If you were on the passenger seat, who would you trust your life with in the driver’s seat?

My current driver who has been with us for the last 25 years.

Which vintage car would you want to own?

Aston Martin DB5

Suggestion for Kathmandu Metropolitan City office on transportation

Improve the traffic lights through automation system

An existing vehicle law you would want to amend

Vehicle more than 20 years, both public and private, should not be allowed on the roads of Nepal. The Government should have a system to determine the safety, emission and fitness level of the vehicles.

Your drive                                        
Honda CRV
Year                                      
2007
The most striking feature                                
Its unique colour
Your earlier car                                              
Hyundai Matrix
Reason you upgraded to the current one        
Comfort and a better vehicle
Personality traits you share with your car…
Swift and efficient
On your wish list
None so far
One song on repeat mode while driving
Love is All Around by Wet Wet Wet
If you were on the passenger seat, who would you trust your life with in the driver’s seat?
My husband 
A vintage car that you’d want to own… 
Volkswagen ‘Squareback Variant’ (my father used to drive it in the 70’s)

Your drive

Mazda 6 
Year
2006
The most striking feature 
11 years down the line it’s still a handsome looking car. 
Your earlier car
Nissan Terrano 
Reason you upgraded to the current one
I got a great deal at the time of purchase. 
Personality traits you share with your car…
Elegant yet powerful
Next on your wish list
2018 Range Rover Velar 
One song on repeat mode while driving
Rumor Mill by Rudimental
If you were on the passenger seat, who would you trust your life with in the driver’s seat?
My father
A vintage car that you’d want to own
1967 Shelby GT-500 Eleanor 
Suggestion to the Kathmandu Metropolitan City office on transportation 
Please get the traffic signals working. 
An existing vehicle law that you would want to amend
Legally we cannot change the engine for any vehicle.  It would be great if we can import new engines for old classic vehicles.
Suggestion for the Kathmandu Metropolitan City office on  transportation
Please encourage safe and clean public transportation that hires traffic rule abiding cautious drivers. Increase in efficient public transportation will automatically discourage those who drive private vehicles and will eventually lead to less pollution in the valley.
An existing vehicle law that you would want to amend
Stricter laws should be implemented to penalise those vehicles which emit hazardous smoke.

Your drive
Mercedez Benz GLE 350
Year
2016
The most striking feature 
Superior off-road capabilities, comfort and design
Your earlier car
Range Rover Sport 
Reason you upgraded to the current one
I had my old vehicle for quite some years and I wanted to upgrade to a vehicle with advanced features without compromising on the power and style of the one I had. I felt my GLE was the right replacement. 
Personality traits you share with your car…
Ruggedness with style, perhaps!
Next on your wish list
Mercedez G- Wagon AMG 4X4 squared all black.
One song on repeat mode while driving
Many. But I will go with Angel of Death by Slayer.
If you were on the passenger seat, who would you trust your life with in the driver’s seat?
My driver
A vintage car that you’d  want to own
Classic Ford Mustang Coupe
Suggestion to the Kathmandu Metropolitan City office on transportation
Implication and management of strong public transport system
An existing vehicle law that you would want to amend
The system of paying the vehicle tax, renewing the blue book and the process to go with that could be addressed and made more convenient for the general public.

Your drive
2015 Range Rover Evoque
Year                                      
October 2014
The most striking feature                                
It’s a compact Range Rover! Perfect for the roads of Kathmandu - high clearance for all the bumps and compact for all “gallis”. Moreover, it does not compromise on safety. At the same time, it marries the comfort of a sedan, torque of a sports car, and a Meridian music system that plays my favourites. Also, it is a full option vehicle that has multimedia system which means that I can listen to my songs while I drive while my children can watch different movies at the same time - best for long drives to Pokhara that I do once in a while.   
Your earlier car                                              
Volkswagen Beetle
Reason you upgraded to the current one        
I loved my VW Beetle as I felt it reflected my personality. I upgraded because the clearance of my car was too low and the streets in Kathmandu started to become worryingly bumpy. I had the Beetle for a few years and wanted to change into something more comfortable.  
Personality traits you share with your car…
Compact and elegant, yet very fast and strong. 
Next on your wish list
I am eyeing a Mercedes, but haven’t been able to decide on a model. 
One song on repeat mode while driving
Unforgettable
If you were on the passenger seat, who would you trust your life with in the driver’s seat?
No one
A vintage car that you’d want…
I am not a fan of vintage cars. 
Suggestion to the Kathmandu Metropolitan City office on  transportation
I think we should start the even and odd number plate system again. The traffic in Kathmandu has become unbearable. 
An existing vehicle law that you would want to amend
Cars are just too expensive here. I think we should have a provision, just like Singapore, to reuse the 300% tax we pay for vehicles such as “Vehicle Ownership License” if we stop using the older vehicles. This would help keep newer cars on the road and ban older vehicles. 

Your drive
I am currently driving a Nissan X-Trail and occasionally drive Mazda 6 and Chevrolet Captiva.
Year
Nissan was a hand me down from my husband and has been with us for almost 10 years now.
The most striking feature
Even though the Nissan X-Trail is a mid-sized SUV, the exterior looks large. It’s got spacious interiors with plenty of head and knee space and a sunroof. Other striking feature is the powerful engine. However, I like the fact that this vehicle was built to be driven in the toughest terrain which makes driving in Kathmandu pleasantly tolerable.
Your earlier car
My earlier vehicle was Mitsubishi Pajero. I would not actually call driving a Nissan an upgrade. We sold off the Mitsubishi and have ordered a Mercedes SUV which should be handed to us anytime soon. Now that would be upgrading!. So meanwhile I am driving what is available at home. 
Personality traits you share with your car…
Dependability and size
Next on your wish list
The next car in my wish list is a Tesla because it is eco-friendly and has selfdriving capacity at a safety level which is substantially more than human drivers.
One song on repeat mode while driving
There are a couple of Hindi songs that I listen to quite often like Rim Jhim Gire Sawan and Ali Maula. My son has also got me hooked on to Podcast and I listen to Marauder and Minimalists.
A vintage car that you’d want to own
When we went to school in the 70s, the reverend nuns at St Mary’s High School, Kathmandu, had a sky blue Volkswagen Bus. It was such a treat and a feeling of importance getting a ride which happened very rarely. I would love to own that bus. I also grew up reading Richie Rich and Archie comic books. And a red convertible was what Richie Rich and Veronica would ride. As a young girl I always hoped that one day I would own a vehicle just like that. So I guess a Rolls Royce Corniche Convertible from the 70s in my collection would be fantastic.
Suggestion for the Kathmandu Metropolitan City office on transportation
One simple thing the Kathmandu Metropolitan City Office can do is operate a fleet of AC luxury coaches for tourists from airport to at least the city areas.

TOP TIPS FOR CAR MAINTENANCE

•  Flush the cooling system and change coolant once a year. A 50/50 mix of coolant and distilled water will keep the cooling system in good shape and prevent corrosion and deposits from building up inside the cooling system.
•  Change out transmission and differential oils. While not requiring frequent service, these fluids must be changed according to service intervals. Always use transmission fluid or gear oil of the recommended type and viscosity.
• Check and change the oil. No single step will help an engine last more than regular oil and filter changes will. Conversely, nothing will destroy an engine faster than neglecting oil-level checks or fresh-oil changes.
•  Keep it clean. While washing the outside of the vehicle is obvious, most everything the vehicle ran over can also get stuck to the underside. Hosing off winter salt and road grime is a good idea.
• Everything with moving parts needs grease to survive. This ball joint went into early retirement due to poor lubrication.
•  Nothing keeps paint looking good and protected like a coat of quality wax. Apply wax at least every six months.
•  Driveline components such as u-joints also require regular lubrication. The driveline may have to be removed to access the zerk grease fitting.
• Inspect, clean, and repack wheel bearings with wheel bearing grease according to service intervals. Wheel bearings and grease are inexpensive compared to spindle and hub replacement, or liberated wheels rolling down the road ahead of you.
• Brake fluid is hygroscopic. This means it is adept at attracting moisture. Moisture causes components to corrode and fail. Replace fluid and bleed system once a year. Brake fluid is cheap. Calipers, hoses, and sensors are expensive.