Indian Car Sales Figures and Analysis

[Eddy]

Originally Posted by diabloo

Are you a 16 something good looking gal, so that guys like me follow you around ?Wish I could. But I am a self appointed NHC evangelist I ask my friends to write.

Or has it something to do with your name ?

Originally Posted by suman

OFF TOPIC:

A cradle snatcher Lol!

[suman]

Originally Posted by anandpadhye

I saw many posts asking the owners to post a long term ownership report only when the ownership hasbeen really long...so I held on...

I think you are a veteran now with 55k on the clock so, look forward to the review soon

Originally Posted by anandpadhye

Yes, brake pads life is not extra-ordinary as per my original thinking...but saw many posts here (including GTO's) that those were "happily" replaced at around 30,000 KM!!! So if these guys are happy, I should be happier :-)

Touche!

[narasimha raju]

Originally Posted by anandpadhye

Not a single instance of repairs or part replacement in my 3.5 years/55000 KM of ownership. Not even brake pads!!! And I am not a slow dirver.

I am not that much fortunate. I take lot of care of my NHC. One of the head light used to get fog after pressure wash. Dealer replaced it under warranty. Till now my NHC clocked only 18500 kms in 3 years. Now I am getting sound from the steering and service technician told me that my EPS motor is having problem and may fail after some time. Unfortunately I did not opt for extended warranty. I am not sure whether it is a common problem in NHC or mine is a special case. Service technician told that EPS may fail if we drive rashly on bad roads.

[vasudeva]

With all due respects to all posts praising and deriding City and its maker, this is a thread on Indian Car Sales Analysis.

[kkr2k2]

Indigo does well on the sales chart. Does anyone know how is the XL doing. Have been seeing lot of these in hyderabad. Does anyone has some numbers?

[anandpadhye]

Originally Posted by narasimha raju

I am not that much fortunate. I take lot of care of my NHC. One of the head light used to get fog after pressure wash. Dealer replaced it under warranty. Till now my NHC clocked only 18500 kms in 3 years. Now I am getting sound from the steering and service technician told me that my EPS motor is having problem and may fail after some time. Unfortunately I did not opt for extended warranty. I am not sure whether it is a common problem in NHC or mine is a special case. Service technician told that EPS may fail if we drive rashly on bad roads.

Just PM'ed you on this (people may not prefer NHC specific discussion here on this thread...)

[hbaruas]

Is Hyundai still managing to sell a few Accents ??? Numbers please ...

[vasudeva]

Originally Posted by hbaruas

Is Hyundai still managing to sell a few Accents ??? Numbers please ...

No numbers available (at least authoritative), but if discounts on Accent/Verna are any indication, Accent may be selling increased numbers. In recent months, I am seeing more new Accents on the road with their welcome red band on the bonnet still not removed.

[prabuddhadg]

@ vasudeva Nice analysis. Interesting data. Actually you are helping convert data into information.

I think Maruti will take time before their cheap car manufacturer image can be replaced. Honda on the other hand has always maintained a premium image.

Maruti needs to change the way the consumer sees them if they want to sell more SX4's and grand Vitaras.

[vasudeva]

Originally Posted by prabuddhadg

@ vasudeva Nice analysis. Interesting data. Actually you are helping convert data into information.

I think Maruti will take time before their cheap car manufacturer image can be replaced. Honda on the other hand has always maintained a premium image.

Maruti needs to change the way the consumer sees them if they want to sell more SX4's and grand Vitaras.

There is a site for Japanese automakers

JAMA Current Statistics

Suzuki has always specialised in production of small cars (which would be categorised as ultra-small in the US). That explains their image, their quality (who would buy a 800 at Mini Cooper prices), and their very limited success outside of Japan and India. By comparison, Toyota and Honda rely heavily on the US and have developed and succeeded because of offering cars suitable for US highways. Now Suzuki is stuck in the small cheap car mode, and would be expected to require huge amounts of money in product development, but also in advertising. Very difficult for Suzuki to dislodge the entrenched players. Same largely is the problem with Hyundai (till the late 1990s, Hyundai in the US were discounted and competed with used 6 month old rentals). Also, very few people in the US with an income above the national median want to be seen in a Hyundai.

[prabuddhadg]

Originally Posted by vasudeva

.... Suzuki has always specialised in production of small cars (which would be categorised as ultra-small in the US). That explains their image, their quality (who would buy a 800 at Mini Cooper prices), and their very limited success outside of Japan and India. By comparison, Toyota and Honda rely heavily on the US and have developed and succeeded because of offering cars suitable for US highways. Now Suzuki is stuck in the small cheap car mode, and would be expected to require huge amounts of money in product development, but also in advertising. Very difficult for Suzuki to dislodge the entrenched players. Same largely is the problem with Hyundai (till the late 1990s, Hyundai in the US were discounted and competed with used 6 month old rentals). Also, very few people in the US with an income above the national median want to be seen in a Hyundai.

I guess with the Indian market beginning to open up quickly (recently as compared to even fifteen years back) and the Indian per capita income growing, perceptions of manufacturers in developed markets may get replicated here with people linking Suzuki and Hyundai with status (or the lack of it) but that has not happened completely yet. So, if these manufacturers can cause a change in their image in India which is potentially a large and growing market, this could impact their bottom lines in a positive way.

Before so many cars were available in India, an Esteem was looked upon as a "luxury" car. If Maruti had gone on with a segmented approach and tried to get a foot hold in the up-market categories as well, that may have helped SX4 sales now. But then, better late than never. Maruti needs to work in its image, granted, but since Maruti service is unbeatable, whether we like their image or not, there is no reason why the discerning buyer should not choose the SX4 over a NHC. (Chicken and egg)

[rangaraj]

Originally Posted by hbaruas

Is Hyundai still managing to sell a few Accents ??? Numbers please ...

Hyundai to supply cars to govt organisations
14 Feb 2008, 0036 hrs IST,TNN


NEW DELHI: In what signals the waning grip of ‘old warhorse’ Ambassador in the corridors of power, Hyundai India’s Accent sedan has been selected among cars that can be chosen by government departments for their fleet of cars.

Hyundai India said the Directorate General of Supplies & Disposals (DGS&D) in the Department of Supplies, the central purchase and quality assurance organisation of the Union Government, had approved the Accent GLE for use by all government departments across the country.

“We are happy that we will be a part of DGS&D list of approved automobile companies and cater to the government. This is an important market for us and the Accent is the right product for this category of users with its compact size, high fuel efficiency and time-tested performance,” Hyundai India senior V-P Arvind Saxena said. The Accent will now be supplied to all government agencies at the Union and state levels at a special rate, the company said, though not disclosing the price.

The finance ministry has put on hold all new car purchases by Government departments. While Hindustan Motors’ Ambassador has virtually been the preferred choice for those in the seat of power, Maruti Suzuki had broken its dominance in 2005 when its mid-size Esteem had been chosen by DGS&D.

[nishantgandhi]

Originally Posted by vasudeva

No numbers available (at least authoritative), but if discounts on Accent/Verna are any indication, Accent may be selling increased numbers. In recent months, I am seeing more new Accents on the road with their welcome red band on the bonnet still not removed.

That also maybe because Accent prices have been dropped substantially?
I remember seeing an ad claiming 4.99 as ex-showroom price for fully loaded Accent?

[jaibir]

Originally Posted by nishantgandhi

That also maybe because Accent prices have been dropped substantially?
I remember seeing an ad claiming 4.99 as ex-showroom price for fully loaded Accent?

They now have only one model of the accent. Its 4.99L + octroi ex-showroom in Mumbai. works out to about 5.7-5.8 OTR. This is with the 1.5 engine and no top end goodies like alloys, ABS, Airbags, integrated stereo etc.

[appuchan]

Originally Posted by rangaraj

Hyundai to supply cars to govt organisations
14 Feb 2008, 0036 hrs IST,TNN
...
Hyundai India said the Directorate General of Supplies & Disposals (DGS&D) in the Department of Supplies, the central purchase and quality assurance organisation of the Union Government, had approved the Accent GLE for use by all government departments across the country.

....

Hmm, being an auto company helps to "grease" those palms generously