[khoj]

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

Met up with the friend, and it appears that the SA at the Hyundai Moradabad dealership practically warned him not to buy the i20 Automatic because there are no trained personnel or equipment in their workshop to service the model, and that he would have to take it to Delhi to get it serviced.

How far can this be true? Is Hyundai selling a car which its dealer(s) is/are not equipped or trained to service? Can any dealer of any car not be so equipped and trained? Can you think of any other examples? And what should be done - would writing to HMIL help or just make matters worse?

The friend is definitely interested in an automatic, but has become very apprehensive of future service availability nearby because of the SA's comment.

Why am I not surprised? SAs are known to bad mouth models which they do not have in stock or have no intention of ordering for stock in the future. Your friend has made a very rare enquiry and every true blue SA will try and veer him towards those models that they have in stock. I experienced this first hand when hunting for a Swift zxi in Bombay, heard some very innovative lines from SAs pushing the Vxi. Ultimately bought from Pune where all most all dealers had several Zxi in stock and were bad mouthing the Vxi. Now what can one make of this.

As for the servicing have you ever heard of a gear box being opened for routine servicing. All that is required to be done is an oil change at the specified interval. Even a local mechanic could do that. For all auto companies Gear boxes apart for minor troubles, even today are taken care of by the company's own mechanics who in the case of your friend are but only 150 Kms away. Rest of the car is the same as any other i20, okay the engine is bigger, but then again! YOu know what SS Traveller at this rate we should not fly anymore as neither Boeing nor Airbus have a technician in the country who could take care of avionics or a facility that could service/repair a damaged hull.

Kindly reassure your friend as to not allow this vague statement to influence a major decision and to proceed with the TD of the i20 with an open mind.

[Amartya]

^^
Agreed, your friend should go for the test-drive.
That being said, if it is not going to be an automatic, the Punto is my recommendation, one needs to see beyond the interiors (which I've heard are better on the 2010 model) and then the Punto is a better automobile. In my opinion, superior dynamics are much more important that plastic quality.

Before the i20 owners catch hold of me, let me say that the i20 is a good car and one can't really go wrong with it. My girlfriend drives a Punto, and she says that she loves the sense of security (solid build and fantastic ride and handling) that the car gives her; so that shouldn't be a problem as far as a lady driving it is concerned.