[Sheel]

My friend wishes to buy a Hyundai Tucson in the coming few months. Upon my insistence, he drove the Ford Endeavor 3.2 and Toyota Fortuner, but he doesn't really want an XL sized SUV. He wants to drive around in something more compact and the Tucson suited him fine.

VW & Skoda don't have a dealer anywhere close by, so naturally the Tiguan & Kodiaq were not considered. Not that we were looking forward to experience the German ownership

I registered for a TD at the Hyundai dealership and this is the response I am getting:










I wish to know via the platform of Team-BHP from Hyundai Motors India Limited that what is stopping them from providing a test-drive?

I got few calls from the dealership in the initial phase.

1st call :

Lady: Sir, you want to book the Tucson?

Me: Yes, I wish to, but would prefer to test drive and have feel of the car before I book.

Lady: Sir, you want to book?

Me: You have a Tucson to test-drive?

Lady: No.

Me: When can I test-drive?

Lady: fumbles

And this is where I asked her to provide a TD before I can finalize anything.

I get another call within the next 2-3 days from the dealership. This time the person sounded rude, arrogant and he was trying to threaten.

XYZ: You want to buy a Tucson?

Me: After a TD.

XYZ: We don't have a Tucson with us, we can show a customer's car.

Me: I want to test drive a test-drive car. You have?

XYZ: No, HMIL doesn't provide us with one.

XYZ: You from Purnia? Who are you?

Me: Yes, I am from Purnia and I am customer who wants buy a Tucson provided you can provide me with a test-drive car.

So, this is the summary of my experience with Asma Hyundai, a face representing HMIL and from the e-mail responses I have got, it will take a lot of courage from my end to get any car from HMIL.

I have had many escalations with many manufacturers when dealers or ASC's weren't co-operating or nagging and be it any company, save for Skoda [Skoda too attended till Mr. Srinivas Sudhir was there], all acted promptly.

Where do we head from here HMIL? If this is before you make a sale, I shudder to think what will be the post sale experience.

[Blow Horn Ok]

HMIL surely needs to teach their sales representatives. When I went to the local dealer in my city just to check out the i10 grand, the sales representative kept insisting to book the car at the spot without even explaining about the car. He said I can't do registration by myself if I plan to take a loan and if I take insurance from other sources, Hyundai will not be able to repair and manage claims. When I insisted that I want the ex-showroom price, he commented "Abhi tak aapne apne patte nahi khole." I was just wondering if people talk like this to sell a car. I told him whether I have committed some crime to ask about the price.

After I decided on the aspire/figo, he called and I informed him about my decision. He said that I am lying and telling this just to avoid him. When I said that he can come and see the booking receipt, he again started saying, who in their right mind would buy a Ford twice. It has no service, resale and I should have known facts as I have a Ford since 2010. This blew me off and I gave him peace of my mind and told him that he should respect others decision. If I went to the showroom, I am not bound to buy a car.

This incident left a very bad taste. I was confident about my choice and I knew he was loose talking, even then, I started to question my decision.

I would suggest to visit a different dealer or just avoid the car. If they can't sell they couldn't service.

[mudhasir]

Most of the Hyundai showrooms, do not own Tucson or Elantra in display/demo. In Chennai, I know that there are 3-4 showrooms who share 1 Tucson. Last time when I called a dealer for test drive, he asked me to give him one hour to arrange a test drive as he will have to bring vehicle from another dealer. This explains the reason why there was no test drive vehilce but doesn't explain the sales person's behaviour, well nothing can.

[krishnakarthik1]

Maybe this dealership is like that. Do visit another dealer.

My experience with Hyundai over the past 2 years has been fantastic. Looking to upgrade from last gen verna to the latest one now. The Tucson is an awesome vehicle. Don't give up on it just yet.

[Theyota]

If it is a low volume high value car, dealers in smaller markets do not keep a dedicated test drive car. It does not make financial sense. If you are lucky, they may let you drive a new car in stock for a very short drive. This is an international practice all over the world. In India, typically no customer wants to buy a car that has been used for test drive by another customer even if it’s only for 10 km. So the dealer has no win situation here.

[Sheel]

Originally Posted by mudhasir

Most of the Hyundai showrooms, do not own Tucson or Elantra in display/demo.

Originally Posted by krishnakarthik1

Maybe this dealership is like that. Do visit another dealer. .

Originally Posted by Theyota

If it is a low volume high value car, dealers in smaller markets do not keep a dedicated test drive car.

Ford, Mahindra, Tata have a 3.2 Endeavor, Rexton/XUV 5OO W10 and Hexa/Storme as TD cars and they are willing to hand over their cars for a TD as we wish to [how does for one full day sound?]

When Skoda was at Siliguri from where one of my friend got his Yeti, they came to Purnia, a one-way distance of 180 kms thrice for a TD.

If it doesn't make sense financially or whatever, what stops Hyundai from accepting this? Why can't they simply say this? I am from tier 3 town and we don't have another dealer over here.

Maybe we can visit Siliguri and try, there are 2/3 dealers over there and purchase if we so like the car, but does it explain HMIL's behavior? An automated response for the past 4 times because they don't have a resolution..? How cool is that for ethics and for business? Precisely why if one is looking to buy premium, one should look over & above Hyundai. This is the kind of vibe I am getting.

The phone number for east 3 region 0651-6550153 isn't working as well.

[GTO]

Really sucks how nice cars don't get the sales backing they need from the manufacturer & dealer. Hyundai was guilty of the same thing with the earlier Sonata & Santa Fe; so many BHPians used to complain about the lack of test-drives. How can one spend 20 - 30 lakhs without a TD?!

I think your problem is more severe since that isn't a big city. In Mumbai, Tucson test-drives are freely available, but that's still no excuse.

I would suggest not giving up on the car yet. Keep pressuring the dealer & Hyundai till you get one. It's a nice SUV - don't let the poor sales experience dissuade you from owning one.

Originally Posted by mudhasir

Most of the Hyundai showrooms, do not own Tucson or Elantra in display/demo.

Reason = Instead of one Tucson, they can have a hot-selling Grand i10 + Xcent + Creta test-drive car (well, almost).

Originally Posted by Sheel

Ford, Mahindra, Tata have a 3.2 Endeavor, Rexton/XUV 5OO W10 and Hexa/Storme as TD cars and they are willing to hand over their cars for a TD as we wish to

1. It's a problem with the manufacturer. Hyundai has a long history of only launching, but not supporting their premium cars.

2. The body-on-frame UVs sell very well even outside of the big cities, hence dealers are inclined to invest in a test vehicle.

[blackwasp]

Originally Posted by Sheel

I wish to know via the platform of Team-BHP from Hyundai Motors India Limited that what is stopping them from providing a test-drive?

Its all dealer specific. A friend of mine got a TD car from a dealership in Kolhapur brought up in Mumbai. Also depends on the rapport with co-dealers. Even in MSIL, when I didn't have a TD car or some other dealer was far / didn't have required vehicle, we used to give TD to the customer irrespective where he booked. The simple understanding was you help me, and I'll help you.

The dealer should arrange a TD from another dealer and offer to pay for the fuel.

[Nonstop-driver]

Originally Posted by Sheel

I have had many escalations with many manufacturers when dealers or ASC's weren't co-operating or nagging and be it any company..

It gets worse. If you escalate it to HMIL, they will send your concern back to the same dealership and the same guy will call to tell you that you should've spoken to him instead of writing to the Company.

When I booked my Creta, my dealer did not provide me the VIN. I emailed HMIL's customer service and 30mins later the same dealer called me to tell me that writing to the Company will not solve the problem. Their escalation matrix is broken for years now and they haven't bothered to look into it at all.

[Sheel]

Originally Posted by Nonstop-driver

I emailed HMIL's customer service and 30mins later the same dealer called me to tell me that writing to the Company will not solve the problem. Their escalation matrix is broken for years now and they haven't bothered to look into it at all.

They should learn from their counterparts, while my friend may get his Tucson from this dealer or another, I for sure am not getting the i10 Grand for city use from HMIL, I am going away with some other manufacturer.

[pixantz]

Hyundai has been slowly infected with the arrogance bug from Skoda. We'll, Kia has just arrived and is capable of bursting their comfort bubble. Hope that happens and customers have an advantage in the process...

[AShubrah]

Originally Posted by Sheel

XYZ: We don't have a Tucson with us, we can show a customer's car.

Me: I want to test drive a test-drive car. You have?

XYZ: No, HMIL doesn't provide us with one.

I’ve had the exact same response from Fairdeal Hyundai in Jamshedpur when I asked for a test drive of the Tucson, the Creta & the Verna. On two occasions, they got a brand new vehicle right from the stockyard in order for me to have a feel for it & drive it around.

Also, they simply don’t care enough to even convince a potential customer for the car since their products are already selling like hot cakes.

[Samurai]

The reason why I own a Grand Vitara instead of Hyundai Tucson is because the Mangalore/Udupi dealer (Kanchana Motors) refused give TD of Tucson. The Udupi branch salesman tried to get me interested in Santro, saying it is a fast moving model unlike Tucson. It didn't matter to him that I had visited the dealership in a Santro. This was in 2007.

[SID2997]

HMIL sales reps really need to change their attitude.I once requested a test drive of the CRETA SX(O) diesel from EL ROY HYUNDAI,NEW DELHI.When I asked the salesperson about the IRVM being auto-dimming or not, she asked;"what is an auto-dimming IRVM?".The showroom driver accompanying her knew more about the car.Whenever any question was being asked; she just went on about it being a great seller in its segment(almost conveying that if you want to buy it then it's fine otherwise we don't care) and Hyundai's resale value and it was as if she was getting offended upon being questioned about the product.They just don't know how to deal with car enthusiasts

[Sheel]

Another automated email, but no resolutions in sight as yet.