[fifthwheel]

Originally Posted by scopriobharath

As rightly put across, domestic manufacturers like Tata and Leyland do not provide comfort / performance voluntarily. When volvo launches their Bus and it turns to be a world class hit, where did AL and Tata go as they are rooted in india. Volvo would have sent a team to do a feasibility study and then launch a product. I had a friend in AL Hosur who said they manufactured engines (R&D) some 50-60 bhp less than Volvo. This really affects the performance. It looks like a volvo, stickered like a VALVO, Sold like a VELVO. They must bring luxury interstates into india first. I have travelled by Tata Cerita and Mercedes-Benz bus, but they lack that power that Volvo Has.

Donno about TML. AL provides the top speed of all the vehicles in their website. Check this out Luxury Tour Bus | Interstate Passenger Transportation

The official top speed of 12M bus is 95 kmph! awesome. Many times I've experienced the ABTx showing it's but* to the KPN VOLVO in the BLR - CNI sector (especially the afternoon service) that too with meagre 177PS compared to 290BHP

[teamveevee]

Originally Posted by aargee

Very very true; somehow our govt does not like Volvo buses & among the 4 states in south, TN was the last one to add Volvos into their fleet & most busses plying from TN to other states were bearing other states registration more than TN registration.

I consider this as a GOOD thing. State run STCs should stick with buses that cost less to maintain. KarRTC purchases Volvos based on their commitment/agreement with Volvo while Volvo was setting shop in India.

Originally Posted by fifthwheel

Donno about TML. AL provides the top speed of all the vehicles in their website. Check this out Luxury Tour Bus | Interstate Passenger Transportation

The official top speed of 12M bus is 95 kmph! awesome. Many times I've experienced the ABTx showing it's but* to the KPN VOLVO in the BLR - CNI sector (especially the afternoon service) that too with meagre 177PS compared to 290BHP

So does TML, Check out their website Tata Motors:: Products :: Buses :: Intercity Transportation
This 1623 TC and 1618 TC are rated at 105 Km as the max speed

[aargee]

Originally Posted by teamveevee

I consider this as a GOOD thing. State run STCs should stick with buses that cost less to maintain. KarRTC purchases Volvos based on their commitment/agreement with Volvo while Volvo was setting shop in India.

Well, what I heard was different from the Volvo drivers; they said the Volvo busses are investments, they cost a lot & each routine maintenance service is expensive, but bus ownership is for very long term like 10 years without any issues & overall cost of 10 year ownership is way too less compared to AL or Tata busses. I used the word 10 years so as to put a number for long term ownership. Actual bus owners could justify this.

Originally Posted by teamveevee

So does TML, Check out their website Tata Motors:: Products :: Buses :: Intercity Transportation
This 1623 TC and 1618 TC are rated at 105 Km as the max speed

IMO, Tata should run very fast to catch up to the competition; the only advantage of Tata is the purchase cost, be it Indica or Tata busses. Several years back I saw MTC (then PTC) buying a new fleet of Tata busses; just few years later I could see all those Tata busses rattling a lot & have seen parts falling apart; I once witnessed some kind of rubber tube & cylinder kind of stuff on to the co passenger side fell apart.

[ambivalent_98]

Originally Posted by Blue Thunder

-

Looks like Volvo will face stiff competition from this stunning bus from Hyundai . KingLong (China) and Corona have not made any dents into the Volvo share in the luxury bus market, but I think the AeroBus will give the Volvo buses a run for their money.

Any reason why you feel this way ? I mean look at Kinglong or even a lux brand like Mercedes for that matter. They have not even come close to the sales of Volvo. Local players like Tata and Leyland have been also trying hard with Marcopolo etc but still Volvo timed their launches when there were no options but Tata and Leyland and now their sales charts tell the story.
Why would the Hyundai bus act as a stiff competition to Volvo ? As far as looks well the Hyundai bus looks OK. Nothing exceptional there.
Now if you talking about very very aggressive marketing , and throwaway prices then maybe the private operators might give it a good long hard look. Otherwise Volvo would still rule the roost I think.
Just my 2 cents

[ambivalent_98]

By the way isn't Caparo Lord Swaraj Paul's brand that makes sports cars ? Why is that group marketing buses for Hyundai ? Hyundai India has its setup so why not start there ? Why is Caparo in JV ?

[Blue Thunder]

Guys, thanks for bumping up a two-year-old thread!!! What I posted then probably has lost relevance now. Please do have a look at the date of the post before commenting on them .

[longhorn]

Volvo buses beat the competition by a mile, be it Merc, Hyundai, Kinglong or whatever. These guys know how to make their buses. Of course, the initial investent is higher, but you get better quality for that. To me, Volvo buses are the best looking too, though this can be a personal preference.

[Rovergen]

I doubt if the Caparo making Hyundai bus news is still on , but on the other hand they also had plans to produce the Caparo T1 Car in their chennai plant , but too many things for caparo when their spare parts supply business is running well

[recshenoy]

Volvo already has a competition from none other than Benz

couple of people who went from Bangalore to Mysore in Benz bus did not like it! They preferred Volvo. For me, Volvo ride quality is unmatchable by any of its so called current competitors (on good roads)

[binaiks]

Originally Posted by teamveevee

I consider this as a GOOD thing. State run STCs should stick with buses that cost less to maintain. KarRTC purchases Volvos based on their commitment/agreement with Volvo while Volvo was setting shop in India.

I somehow do not agree to this ideology - the STCs are not intended to be money generating divisions, and hence they should ideally offer all types of transportation options to passengers. By running premium buses, they are actually encouraging more people to move over to public transportation. If KaSRTC is buying Volvos only due to their "commitment" and not due to any other reason, why are other corporations too following suit? MSRTC has been steadily increasing the number of Volvo services (although it doesn't seem to purchase them, but only take them on hire). The KeSRTC MD in a meeting with bus fans said the Volvos are the only premium service that returns money for them.

Originally Posted by aargee

Well, what I heard was different from the Volvo drivers; they said the Volvo busses are investments, they cost a lot & each routine maintenance service is expensive, but bus ownership is for very long term like 10 years without any issues & overall cost of 10 year ownership is way too less compared to AL or Tata busses. I used the word 10 years so as to put a number for long term ownership. Actual bus owners could justify this.

Although I don't own a bus, from my conversations with some bus operators (and also through some people with the know-how of the field), the Volvo does offer them value for purchase. This is the reason why more and more private operators continue to stick to Volvo. The initial investment is high, so is the maintenance expense - however, the buses run more kms between service intervals and the spares last longer. The AL/TATA buses cost lesser to purchase, but the "savings" is made up in their maintenance and life.

Originally Posted by aargee

IMO, Tata should run very fast to catch up to the competition; the only advantage of Tata is the purchase cost, be it Indica or Tata busses. Several years back I saw MTC (then PTC) buying a new fleet of Tata busses; just few years later I could see all those Tata busses rattling a lot & have seen parts falling apart; I once witnessed some kind of rubber tube & cylinder kind of stuff on to the co passenger side fell apart.

How true! TATA seems to bring in good innovations and also price them competitively. However, their quality seems far below par. The fully built options given by TATA seem to fare even bad - they fall apart in no time.

Originally Posted by ambivalent_98

Why would the Hyundai bus act as a stiff competition to Volvo ? As far as looks well the Hyundai bus looks OK. Nothing exceptional there.
Now if you talking about very very aggressive marketing , and throwaway prices then maybe the private operators might give it a good long hard look. Otherwise Volvo would still rule the roost I think.

Private operators might embrace Hyundai initially - however, the quality and life of the product would decide the degree of affinity. As of today, Volvo buses give them a very long life - The oldest Volvo in India is now 8 years old. The buses still go strong. Hyundai can overtake Volvo if and only if they provide a product with similar quality as that of a Volvo.

Originally Posted by recshenoy

couple of people who went from Bangalore to Mysore in Benz bus did not like it! They preferred Volvo. For me, Volvo ride quality is unmatchable by any of its so called current competitors (on good roads)

The remarks I got too are very similar - people still prefer Volvo over Merc. A friend of mine called up to tell about the Hispano - he had no words the describe how bad the product was

[fifthwheel]

Originally Posted by Blue Thunder

Guys, thanks for bumping up a two-year-old thread!!! What I posted then probably has lost relevance now. Please do have a look at the date of the post before commenting on them .

Sorry dude, It's my fault to rekindle this.

[Mpower]

Originally Posted by Blue Thunder

Guys, thanks for bumping up a two-year-old thread!!! What I posted then probably has lost relevance now. Please do have a look at the date of the post before commenting on them .

What is Caparo doing these days. They do have a plant in TN dont they?

[Ashley2]

Originally Posted by Mpower

What is Caparo doing these days. They do have a plant in TN dont they?

Caparo has a integrated plant near Chennai - Sunguvarchatram, on the way to blore. They have PDC,GDC,Forging,Press shop and tool room.
They cater to many OE's in chennai - HMI,Royal Enfield etc

[Ashley2]

Originally Posted by binaiks

By running premium buses, they are actually encouraging more people to move over to public transportation.

IMO it may not be Premium buses but it could be premium service.

Originally Posted by binaiks

why are other corporations too following suit?

MTC is loosing interest as they have given few of them to TNSTC-Villupuram to operate them as a Intercity bus.

[SirAlec]

All of a sudden this segment is becoming hotter day by day.