A tale of three dealers, 2 cars and an honest car salesman!

[tsk1979]

This saturday was test drive day. The aim : To drive in peak rush hour traffic, try a few U turns, and see how much leg fatigue our probables give us.
First was to zero on the location. Noida was out because saturday traffic is no big deal. So the next best option was Mathura road. To be specific the Mohan industrial estate. It has dealerships ranging from Tata to Porsche and BMW(sorry no test drives of these babies).
The first destination was Tata-Fiat. to be specific, Vivek motors, at A-1, i.e. the very start of the dealership city.
We park outside in a dirt parking lot and walk into a dimly lit showroom, with a few bored car salesmen and even more bored customers.
After we stand around for 5 minutes a guy comes running, asks us what we need. I say TD a safari.
He says please wait for 5 minutes and disappears.
15 minutes later he has still not materialized, and as we have to test another car, we just walk out, and nobody stops us.
Next stop is A-19, A-one Tata-Fiat
We walk into a better lit showroom(though still a little dim). Soon we are attacked by 5 people who ask for tea-coffee etc., We just ask for a safari TD.
A very cheerful guy in bright read sweatshirt comes and starts explaining the features in an EX model. He also asks for driving license for photocopy and says the TD vehicle will be ready in 5 minutes.
The look on his face is priceless when I tell him my wife will do the TD.
After his initial shock wears of, and he comes out of coma, and goes back to his old cheerful self.
He seems to be very happy that there is a potential safari EX 4x4 sale to be made.
As we go off to TD, with my wife driving, he asks us if we have finalized on the vehicle. I tell him that we will TD the innova, scorpio etc., and then decide.
After that he says "Scorpio is not good, you both are tall and you will find it cramped".
Then he sings praises of innova for 5 minutes. Great vehicle. Great engine. Very reliable very very silent. It has great plastics too, as compared to Safari. I am beginning to think he is a toyota agent. But then his last line comes. "Sir safari is a safari". Tell me "Aap innova mein kaise lagenge. Its a taxi after all. A luxury taxi is a taxi only" lol.
It may be better interiors, better fit and finish, but it can't match the status and stance of the safari. For once I have to agree with him. My wife complains about the width and all he says is "Fit a bulldog to the front"
After crawling in rush hour traffic and terrorizing a few auto wallahs, we are back to a dirt road near the showroom, where we try out bad roads too.
Soon its time to turn back, and then starts the dealing.
His first question. When will you buy. My question what are the discounts. He thinks and then tells us. If you buy now I can't give any discounts, but if you buy third week of jan atleast 20K cash discount is possible + finance payout.
I just stare at him. normally you get discounts in december not jan. He explains "
Supply is not there. So no car sitting in godown, so we can't give discount. In jan production will pick up, and then there will be cars with us and then you will get more discount".
Thats nice. Because same thing Dada motors also told us. Buy around Jan 15, not now and big discounts will be given.
I can't understand the logic, but this is what they say!
So he gives us the brochure and off we go to Hyundai motor plaza, A-30 in the same place.

We walk into a very brightly lit showroom. The place is swank. It definitely looks more upmarket, and everything is shining, and at every desk there are 20 people asking for discount on i10.
A very smartly dressed man in a blazer comes and unsmilingly but professionally asks us what do we want.
We say TD verna crdi, and he does not ask any further questions, and takes us to a car with a DL number plate. No demo car stuff these guys believe him. The car has does not appear new, and seems to be owned by the showroom. Don't think its a customer car because its in staff parking.
So off we go, and I have to goad him to tell me the difference between SX trim and base trim.
After a short TD we come back, and start talking discounts.
He offers 2 things
1. Loyalty discount of 10,000 if a Hyundai car is there in family.
2. 20,000 cash discount on 3 dirty colors if we buy before Dec 31st.
By this time he is already sounding disintrusted, and then I utter the magic words. Do you have an elantra in stock. His eyes light up, his nose breathes fire and his 3400 teeth shine like floodlights of Eden Garden.
40,000 cash discount on base version crdi (876,000 sticker price). Buy anytime, select colors available.

Talk about desperation or what. We say thank you and "We will get in touch with you...."

So this is how the evening was spent.
A note to Vivek Automobiles. You are not selling trucks, its a 10L vehicle, and please treat your customers properly. Note to A-one, please add more lights and give a big salary hike to the cheerful guy in red sweatshirt.
A note to HMP, please make your staff smile.
A note to Hyundai, please get the Santa-fe at less than 10L ex showroom.

A question many of you are asking is "Verna or 2.2?" Frankly speaking, we don't know. If I had never owned Tata whole my life I would have gotten the big one in Jan, but after 6 Tata cars in the family, including a 3.0 which has married the service adviser, the koreans are in the race. Maybe If it was 1L less.... But then if wishes were horses.

PS: where do you get bulldogs for safari

[Samurai]

Nice dealership review. Salesmen can make or break the dealership just by their attitude.

Originally Posted by tsk1979

A note to Hyundai, please get the Santa-fe at less than 10L ex showroom.

The local Hyundai dealership GM told me that Santa-Fe will be priced closed to 24-25L. He didn't feel they would sell any.

[Steeroid]

Originally Posted by tsk1979

A note to Hyundai, please get the Santa-fe at less than 10L ex showroom.

Whatever it is that you're smoking, it is obviously better stuff than what I have known so far.

[tsk1979]

Oh, my bad, I thought Hyundai is planning to bring in a SUV below Tucson?

[BUSA]

Nice report there tsk. If you buy in Jan then the cars price will be higher, since there is a price hike by around 10-20k on cars costing around 10L.

Just a thought, why not a Magnum, it costs roughly the same, and boy it flies.

Advantages of getting a Verna/Magnum over Safari -You can get it Pete'd

[sushrutha]

Nice review of the showroows.
But If I were you I would buy a Safari . I would just go by the red sweatshirt guy's words "Sir safari is a safari". :-)

[hondadude]

Originally Posted by BUSA

Nice report there tsk. If you buy in Jan then the cars price will be higher, since there is a price hike by around 10-20k on cars costing around 10L.

Where did you get that BUSA ? When the newspaper report about the price hike came out, they specifically pointed out that TATA is not considering a price hike.

[BUSA]

My bad, but MUL, Toyota are surely considering. Infact Innova prices are going to be hiked by 17-22k

[hondadude]

Originally Posted by BUSA

My bad, but MUL, Toyota are surely considering. Infact Innova prices are going to be hiked by 17-22k

Quite possible. Considering the timing of the article, it could also be a ploy to get rid of December inventories

I suspect Toyota might increase the price of Innova with the new variant (with cosmetic changes).

[SumitB]

Nice writeup Tanveer. So any pointers on what you are getting? I would go in for the Safari. More than me, my wife would have

[BUSA]

I suspect Toyota might increase the price of Innova with the new variant (with cosmetic changes).

Thats not going to come anytime soon. Atleast not before the New Corolla.

[tsk1979]

Originally Posted by BUSA

Nice report there tsk. If you buy in Jan then the cars price will be higher, since there is a price hike by around 10-20k on cars costing around 10L.

Just a thought, why not a Magnum, it costs roughly the same, and boy it flies.

Advantages of getting a Verna/Magnum over Safari -You can get it Pete'd

The guy clearly told me that I would get a better deal after mid jan. This has been told me by another Tata dealer also.
As for Magnum, If I have to spend 9.5L I would go in for a safari. The only thing holding me from going for a Safari is the cost. Moreover for its size the magnum does not appear that big on inside. I expect a much more spacious vehicle considering the external dimensions.
I know a LX is much cheaper, but in my book, if I had to go for a 2WD, I would close my eyes and buy a verna.
As for Pete's I think 140 horses on safari and 110 on Verna are more than adequate. Anything more would be dangerous.

Originally Posted by SumitB

Nice writeup Tanveer. So any pointers on what you are getting? I would go in for the Safari. More than me, my wife would have

No idea as of now. We wait and watch Jan-Feb and then go and buy.

[vid6639]

Originally Posted by BUSA

Thats not going to come anytime soon. Atleast not before the New Corolla.

How do you know that? Toyota releases a new model every year. The 2008 model may just incorporate these small changes.

Dealers will always show a blank face when asked about the new model.

[BUSA]

How do you know that? Toyota releases a new model every year. The 2008 model may just incorporate these small changes.

End 2008 is when the New Innova will be launched with minor changes aka MMC. AlsoNew Corolla is expected Oct 2008

@ TSK - I honestly feel that if that the Magnum is much much better then the Verna in terms of interior space, legroom, head room. Safari is a good car, but i was recently told in the Monsoon seasons when you sit in the old Safari 2.0 TCIC you need a umbrella

[nitrous]

Originally Posted by tsk

"Fit a bulldog to the front"

a 3.0 which has married the service adviser

Very good review,tsk. Love the humour!