long-term update

We still remember the time when we used to service our cars at ghetto garages and petrol stations, because we were not financially well-endowed back then. That was fine, considering we didn’t even own a car newer than 10 years at that time. Things change of course, and now we own four cars, all relatively newer, so we get almost all of them maintained at their respective dealerships. All except one — our 2008 Mitsubishi Galant GTS.

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So it is time for another update on our Mitsubishi Pajero. Having covered over 15,000 kms since the last post, and over 37,000 km since buying it almost a year ago, we still do not have anything negative to write about it. Besides some off-road-abuse-inflicted damages, the Pajero runs absolutely fine.

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We’ve made it a point to upgrade our self-owned fleet with iconic cars, ditching anonymous cars like the Peugeot 307 and the Mitsubishi Galant and replacing them with stuff like the Honda S2000 and the Range Rover Vogue. But then why are we keeping the lowly Korean-built 2009 Renault Safrane around? Well, it just became the most iconic car in our fleet, having appeared in the hottest music video of this decade and the next.

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“Wait, what? You bought a Range Rover?” Yes, we bought a Range Rover. “Really? A Range Rover?” Yes, a Range Rover. The big one. It’s grey or green depending on what time of day you look at it. And it’s fun saying that we own a Range Rover.

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We’ve driven a lot of 2012 Toyota Camry variants over the past six months. Ever since its launch in the UAE, the local dealer Al Futtaim Motors has given us a lot of seat-time in this car, to the point where we’re actually driving one over this summer as a long-termer. That long-termer is gone now, but we’re now so acquainted with the new model that we can tell you exactly what has changed in this new model compared to the old one.

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The gadgetry found in the top version of the latest 2012 Toyota Camry is the most advanced it has ever been for the Camry. Generally, GCC-spec cars for various brands are stripped down for maximum profit while keeping the price low, but Toyota has finally gone ahead and offered up a fully-loaded version of their bread-and-butter midsizer in the form of the SE Plus. So no one can complain about lack of features any more, as long as they’re willing to pay for it.

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The Toyota Camry is back this year in an all-new aggressive skin, complete with an angry chin and rear lip spoiler. These are clear signs that the Camry SE is vying to be something more than just a commuter car. With more power under the hood and revised suspension for tighter handling, the Camry SE Plus is a much better drive than before. But is it good enough to hang with sportier cars? Can it take on something like the Hyundai Genesis Coupe? Will this be an epic battle, Hindi movie-style, where the quiet office-worker suddenly transforms into a martial-arts fighter,

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We got our Renault Safrane serviced last month, it having hit the 30K mark this summer. It is carrying on without any drama.

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Those who’ve followed my exploits since the beginning might already know that I’m from Bangladesh. However, I grew up in Dubai so this is the place I’ve always called home. Aside from the usual racist taunts from underachieving idiots and the general lack of respect from people who think they’re destined for heaven, life here has been pretty smooth. I might be the only Bangladeshi in the regional automotive media, and I might be the only Bangladeshi in the world to bag a McLaren test-drive, but I am aware of what the automotive culture is like in my home country.

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Our Lexus IS 300C has now gone back to the dealer, having spent two months with us. While we still contend that it is not the kind of car that car guys like us would buy, it is still an excellent car in its own right, and we enjoyed driving it. At times, we had up to six cars on our fleet to pick from when heading out to events, and we’d pick the Lexus because it was the luxury car of the bunch.

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