Peugeot's second Innings- Welcome back, Not Really!

[Mpower]

Well, due to the economic boom, we have a lot of customers who are either totally new to car buying or didn't know of any car other than Maruti800, 10 years ago.

For them, the old 309 means nothing and Peugeot is an all new car and they will go for it.

[sgmuser]

Peugeot makes cars of good design/handling but with high maintenance costs typical for an euro made car. 203 is the only model i used to see in Singapore or any asia pac region other than very little no of sedans(309?). Unless otherwise they come with a strong resolve to be best in A.S.S, it is very tough for Peugeot to make a mark here for the kind of roads we have here.

[condor]

theMAG : Then there's the small matter of Peugeot's very unique designs that only France loves
Steeroid : Actually Peugeot's designs (and some of Citroen's) are pretty good. Its Renault that makes some really queer-looking cars that only the French seem to like.

Peugeot's got some beautiful designs. And if they come in, Indica V3 will be non-starter in the looks department.

cemac : Sorry Guys, I may dissapoint you guys .... . but tell you frankly ... <<< I >>> have still not used a car that was similliar to the 309GLD range

Another gentleman who believes this would be Girish Karnad. He's still using his Peugeot.

[cemac]

Guys ,

Show me a negative response from a person who has used a peugeot.

Originally Posted by redcandle

I think people who were directly involved in the Peugeot (or PAL, but Peugeot was blamed) scam, would have severe hesitations about becoming their customers.

Redcandle

peple who have used a peugeot wont have a negative thinking about it. did you find even a single negative response from a person who has used it.


Amazing to know that Girish Karnad is using a peugeot. thats nice

[payam]

Their cars are really good looking and also the suspension are good as well.
If they come and launch their hatch like 206 ,207 gt series wow they are just amazing and tough competitor for Fiat and Maruthi here.

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Guys,

Where can i get to read in detail about their first innings in India? Any site which has details of this?

[tsk1979]

Indian market is not forgiving.
Look at Fiat. One fiasco, and they are struggling. Even Tata can't help them even though they have a pretty decent car up for sale at a decent price.
It will all depend on how Peugot can sell themselves.

[maddy42]

Well fiat aint running much coz of the pricing of spares which people if they dont know think it to be really expensive.

Loved the looks of 309 when it came in india and somehow found it to be a great looker!! Liked it better than my esteem.
I feel they deserve a chance and if they can prove themself then so be it. But the main problem is any person buying a car tends to speak to many people and here the problem arises as someone may tell him that puegot had come before!

[benbsb29]

Originally Posted by maddy42

But the main problem is any person buying a car tends to speak to many people and here the problem arises as someone may tell him that puegot had come before!

Power of the word of mouth. And it is really powerful.

[anandpadhye]

Originally Posted by maddy42

Loved the looks of 309 when it came in india and somehow found it to be a great looker!! Liked it better than my esteem.

Same here.

Nice to see there are other T-BHPeans who loved the looks of that car (the 309, I think).

I was a boy then and do not remember what exactly happened but I think PAL spoiled all the fun with serial strikes, etc. Anyone remembers the details? Please share.

[Steeroid]

Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR

Guys,

Where can i get to read in detail about their first innings in India? Any site which has details of this?

Originally Posted by anandpadhye

I was a boy then and do not remember what exactly happened but I think PAL spoiled all the fun with serial strikes, etc. Anyone remembers the details? Please share.

Investors, FIs lose heavily in PAL-Peugeot
George Mathew
MUMBAI, April 5: PAL-Peugeot Ltd, the first major auto joint venture after the industry was thrown open for the entry of foreign players, is in a major financial mess with investors and financial institutions slowly losing hopes of getting back their funds to the tune of Rs 455 crore (Rs 230 crore through public issue and Rs 195 crore institutional loans). With both the promoters - Premier Automobiles of the Doshi family and Peugeot of France - ditching the much talked-about project, the company has failed to finalise even the balance sheet for the year 1997.

Investors, FIs lose heavily in PAL-Peugeot

Essentially they set up a company called PAL Peugeot Ltd, did a public issue and collected funds, didnt even finalize their first balance sheet and left both investors and people that had booked cars paying Rs.25,000 as deposit in the lurch.

Search for PAL Peugeot on the web and you will find many cases filed by customers against the company, against their dealers and against anyone they could lay their hands on. For eg:

NATIONAL CONSUMER DISPUTES REDRESSAL COMMISSION

[spadival]

I do hope they launch the 307 and it fails miserably... so that I can buy it dirt cheap .

[finneyp]

Originally Posted by tsk1979

Indian market is not forgiving.
Look at Fiat. One fiasco, and they are struggling.

Pls share the fiasco commited by Fiat?
Unlike Peugeot, Fiat didn't shut down and leave its customers in lurch though they too had issues with PAL!

In fact, they bought over the PAL stake and became a fully owned subsidiary of Fiat Group, they are serious about Indian market and thats why the alliance with Tata now.

[himanshugoswami]

Guys, can we please leave Fiat out of this. This is a Peugeot thread.

French and italians have never known to mix well (Ask Mussolini and deGaulle), so lets not attempt this in this thread also.

[tsk1979]

Originally Posted by finneyp

Pls share the fiasco commited by Fiat?
Unlike Peugeot, Fiat didn't shut down and leave its customers in lurch though they too had issues with PAL!

In fact, they bought over the PAL stake and became a fully owned subsidiary of Fiat Group, they are serious about Indian market and thats why the alliance with Tata now.

Please read my post again. I am not saying Fiat has ditched customers. They are committed to the Indian market, and Alliance with Tata proves this.
I was talking about the "Indian Market" which is "unforgiving" and does not forget about past mistakes.
My post is about the unforgiving nature of the Indian market. This unforgiving nature is going to haunt Peugot too just the way it affects Palio. Without past baggage there is no reason for the Palio not to sell 5000 units every month.