The Buying Experience Aspect Dear Vinod Nookala, Behram Sir, Spike-Prateesh,
The discussion on Thar has touched all aspects from the famous IFS/Solid, SFRA/FFRA and low-hanging cat-con, CMVR aspect, Farming Equipment in SA/Euro, to the current series of valid questions from Tanveer-TSK about high altitude testing and Range.
Few of them have been answered convincingly, few not-so, few yet to be... We can understand why...
I have a to ask a simple question, with a bit of (my) history to it with valid reasons. This is to be classified under 'Buying Experience'.
Back in 2005, the Jeep/4WD bug had bit me, and one night sitting in the office I came across a superb pictorial advertisement of a vehicle from TATA - it was a lifestyle 4x4 and looked promising. The same weekend, me and my fiancee drove to Prerana Motors in Lalbagh road and walked into a Swanky Showroom (then) and sifted thru the Indica's and Sumo's and Safari's.
I asked the 1st person who greeted me, "I am here to check out the TL 4x4".
"Blink - Blink -- TL What?"
"It is a TataMobile Kinda Vehicle, 4wd, etc" "Sir, this is the PASSENGER Car Division, Please go a few buildings ahead, you will see the goods vehicle div"
I went, had to, loved the looks (back then) of the TL.
"I am here to see the TL 4x4"
"Ennu saar"
"TelcoLine...."
Had a horrid time as a 'Passenger division' customer to walk into a 'commercial vehicles' sales center and ask for a test drive...
"Saar, ennuku saar, farm idhiyaa?, cement bag haakutiraa"
"NO - I dont have a farm and dont intend to drive cement bags around...!! - Can I just get a TD"
"OK saar"
In the TD (This was my 1st ever Drive of a 4WD)
"So by turning the 4wd knob, it goes from a 2wd to 4wd eh?"
"Yes sir, just press clutch once after engaging 4wd, and it will engage"
'Ok, at least he got that right'
"Saar - also check out the 407 DCPU DI PwrStr, its much smoother than this and can carry more load"
"DAMN..!!"
Fiancee - "Are you going to start a truck company"
"Saar - it is 11L on road, if its expensive for you, try the 407 'S'CPU or even better - the new ACE - it is selling HOT"
I ran out of the place...!!
I frankly had a HORRID time just because TATA could not decide whether the TL 4x4 was a Passenger Div vehicle or a Commercial Div vehicle. Why all this blah about TATA, when this is a M&M thread?
FF to 2008, After the 11Lakh experience of a TL Test Drive - I mustered enough courage to take my fiancee again to the great "Vijay" motors in Museum Road. After all they are the "#1" Showroom in this part of the world"
"Hello, I am here to check out the Major 4x4"
"Saar, go talk to manager, he will give you address of Commercial Vehicles div"
"Duh - it is made to carry 8-10 humans, it is not a commercial vehicle"
"Sorry sir, all Commanders, Maxxi's, Major's, 650DP's, taxi kind of Vehicles are sold from there - here you go... Lalbagh road, Vijay motors"
No way I am going again to a commercial Vehicles showroom with a lady beside me. Exit quickly and few days later rode alone to the Comm vehicles dept.
It was a 'shop' with 1 shutter, a table+chair, and a fan on the top. They were displaying the M&M Pickup inside the shop and one had to squeeze through the sides of the Jeep to go behind it and sit in the chair. They seemed to understand why I needed a 4x4 and told me for a TD i need to go till Peenya Yard (which is around 30kms from city center), and just drive a few 100 meters inside the yard. I dropped the idea and a year later got my current Jeep...
--------------------------------------------------------------
What ever you do, please remember that no-Way a customer (passenger unit) will walk to a "Shop" with his lady and kids in any car, and face a barrage of questions like "Farm, cement, why 4x4, et all". Please make up your mind whether the Thar is going to be a Life Style Vehicle to be sold thru a showroom, or a 7-8 seater commercial vehicle sold through..."
Going by the drift of this thread, it looks like M&M is going to target the larger 2Wd population 7 seater market. This customer base will seldom walk into a passenger showroom, they know where their 'kind of' vehicles are sold...
It is going to be a tough call you have to make... PS - I did not learn till that day in 2005 that DCPU is Double Cabin Pick Up and SCPU is for Single...
Last edited by svsantosh : 16th July 2010 at 09:11.
|