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Old 15th December 2006, 16:55   #1
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Will M800 be phased out by 2008?

Look at the roads today! A vast change from what was there, just a couple of years ago.

More numbers, more makes, more models.......

Consider these factors:
  1. There is huge number of two wheelers waiting to upgrade and M800 is not a winner with the young crowd
  2. Now a days the first car people buy can even be a Honda City or Baleno.
  3. Will a M800 owner ever go for M800 again?
  4. Alternatives will come at sub 2 Lacs price range
  5. The cost of maintenance advantage are being provided by alternate cars
  6. M800 has not changed its looks for long
  7. What if a diesel car comes in 2 Lacs price range, with contemprory looks?
  8. Will you buy a M800 if you had a better looking vehicle with the same total cost of ownership?
All these suggest that a new M800 will not roll out post 2007. Agree..... ?
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Old 15th December 2006, 20:09   #2
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All said and done, M800 is one of the best city driving cars around... some people say its size is a disadvantage...but for M800 its the best advantage.. :-) It is a pleasure to drive in the city....

If you are looking for buying a first car and then buying anothe cars later ( I mean, not selling the first car) then you should definitely look for 800... On the other hand if thats the only car you will have (buying the second one on exchange) , then you need to look for a safer car for the occasional highway drive... for that choice Indica Xeta is hard to beat...
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Old 16th December 2006, 09:06   #3
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No way!! Why would it be phased out you think when its selling more than 4K a month? Most manufacturers would love this number, wont they?
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Old 16th December 2006, 09:41   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ravradha View Post
Look at the roads today! A vast change from what was there, just a couple of years ago.

More numbers, more makes, more models.......

Consider these factors:
  1. There is huge number of two wheelers waiting to upgrade and M800 is not a winner with the young crowd
  2. Now a days the first car people buy can even be a Honda City or Baleno.
  3. Will a M800 owner ever go for M800 again?
  4. Alternatives will come at sub 2 Lacs price range
  5. The cost of maintenance advantage are being provided by alternate cars
  6. M800 has not changed its looks for long
  7. What if a diesel car comes in 2 Lacs price range, with contemprory looks?
  8. Will you buy a M800 if you had a better looking vehicle with the same total cost of ownership?
All these suggest that a new M800 will not roll out post 2007. Agree..... ?
1. M800 may not be a winner with the young crowd, but it is still the most affordable car in India (atleast till Tata roll out their 1L car)... For bikers looking to upgrade on a tight budget, M800 stills presents a good hope...
2. First car can also be a Mercedez Benz... People dont buy small cars as first cars cause they prefer so... Most do that cause of tight budget... Then progres on to big cars when they have enough money...
3. Yes... I know three people who bought M800 for the second time... Although, i tried my best to make them go for an alto... They were really satisfied with their previous cars... It still is very easy to run, low on maintanence, and high on mileage... (I had a M800, and was very satisfied with the car... Upgraded to a wagonR its more comfortable to parents)
4. They will come... We shall wait... (Maruti has announced plans that if Tata comes out with 1L car, M800 prioces would be slashed)
5. Which car has lesser maintainence cost???
6. Looks, yes.... Its getting really dated... But, people never bought M800 for looks... They only bought it for the cheap price tag...
7. Lets hope a diesel comes along within few years... he he...
8. Same thing... At this point, there is nothing in the category... Let something roll out withbeter looks and a cheaper price tag..

M800 stills sells 6-7k units a month... Which is not a bad figure...
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Old 16th December 2006, 14:47   #5
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Question as quintessential as the British monarchy. No, Maruti will never stop the M800s production. Once demand comes down to less than 5000 cars per month, expect to see "specially limited fun" versions of the "internationally styled" M800 with a brand new reflector design.

Last edited by theMAG : 16th December 2006 at 14:49. Reason: Multiple typos
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Old 16th December 2006, 16:25   #6
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Well, Maruti has already prepared the Alto to take the 800s place. In urban India, it has. Its in the rurals that the marginal price difference works against the Alto.

Only a matter of time before the 800 is shelved....whether due to market forces or safety norms or consumer choices.
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Old 16th December 2006, 20:54   #7
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Yes, it is a good possibility!
I know a numbers of cases where a person intended to buy a M800, visits a Maruti Showroom and ends up booking a Alto!
Since Alto is relatively safer than M800, I feel Maruti should stop making M800 and focus their energies on Alto!
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Old 16th December 2006, 21:39   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by finneyp View Post
Yes, it is a good possibility!
I know a numbers of cases where a person intended to buy a M800, visits a Maruti Showroom and ends up booking a Alto!
Since Alto is relatively safer than M800, I feel Maruti should stop making M800 and focus their energies on Alto!
That would be like saying, since baleno is safer than esteem.. maruti should stop esteem...
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Old 16th December 2006, 21:51   #9
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they need not stop production of M800.
they production cost of of m800 is around 90k max.
they can still afford to sell it with a 40k price cut.
the design need not be changed coz new design
means new lamps and panels which means more
investment into such spares which increases its
cost.This design is pretty much doing its job,but
i love the old degin rectanluar head lamps and
number plates on hatch door. that looked more
compact than present one.Its a practical car
in city coz of both its size and economy.
so why they need to stop production.
And we indians are more towards practicality and vfm
than looks (thatz y activa sells more than dio).
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Old 17th December 2006, 09:11   #10
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Another point : Maybe a price-cut Maruti 800 can prove to be the weapon.........against Tatas 1 Lac Car!
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Old 17th December 2006, 10:25   #11
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Read somewhere that Suzuki is already developing a 600cc car to battle with Tata's 1L baby. This new car will obviously be cheaper than the 800, will be more modern looking and perhaps safer as well. Suzuki may well decide to squeeze in the 800cc motor as an option. That should be the end of the road for the 800.
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Old 17th December 2006, 11:19   #12
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At the end of the day, one drives x km a month in the city and y km a month on the expressway.

One will need to regularly fill up the tank, change the oil and filter and change the battery and tires a little later. On all these rows on the balance sheet, the Maruti 800 still beats the competition hollow.

Once a week, I would consume Rs. 990 worth of petrol on my 800. Now the same amount of driving on the same roads costs me Rs. 3,090 worth of petrol on my Baleno VXi.

Was it dumb to have Rs. 2,100 more of spending money per week?

The mind would not hesitate to zip across to anywhere, park in any gap on the street, ...
The occasional ding or dent one picked up because of careless bumper-to-bumper Northwestern Mumbai traffic were easily fixed for small change in the pocket.

No car will ever be so frugal on the pocket. And frugality is no trifle, unless one has a manic obsession for blowing up money.

Yes, the humble 800 will eventually get phased out, and when it does we would have lost India's cherished icon of economy and commonsense, one which put the masses on four wheels!

Ram

Last edited by Ram : 17th December 2006 at 11:30.
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Old 17th December 2006, 17:09   #13
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Quote:
Once a week, I would consume Rs. 990 worth of petrol on my 800. Now the same amount of driving on the same roads costs me Rs. 3,090 worth of petrol on my Baleno VXi.
Its hard to believe that the Baleno is 1/3 as fuel-efficient as the 800. I would think that the difference on any kind of roads is 50% (at best).
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Old 17th December 2006, 18:25   #14
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I think Ram hasnt accounted the price of petrol which has almost doubled
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Old 18th December 2006, 00:22   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by shivam View Post
M800 should come with a big change like zen but not wth tag 800 there should 1000 or 1200
Like zen???

With a 1000 or 1200 cc engine???

At the same price???
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