[Aditya2703]

I believe, deep down it is always the product that makes the first and lasting impression in most buyers.
Having said that, some manufacturers have perfected their "fear psychosis" marketing technique so well that they have been successful in hypnotizing majority of the potential buyers into believing that service always matters most. Add to that the reluctance/arrogance/indifference of other manufacturers to improve upon their respective service abilities builds the case further in favor of service.

[King_pin09]

My vote goes to the after sale and reliability.

I can stay with a car with flaws that I know could be corrected easily, is of no harm and/or could be lived with along without compromising safety. But I do not want to be stranded in the middle of the highway in a no man’s place with my family for no fault of mine and mainly due to lapse in competency of the manufacturer.

To justify this perspective I need to just say, "I owned an Indica Vista before", and all other things are understood without a word further.

[Aditya2703]

Till the time service is perceived as a value driven from top (leadership), it will never reflect at the consumer level.
Last month I went to a dealer along with my friend and there stood a 6ft tall poster of the president of that particular OEM with words of wisdom about how important customer satisfaction is and how big a role service plays into it. Alas the experience with the dealer personal was stark opposite. I believe this story is more or less similar at most dealers.
Service is not just the prerogative or core value of leadership, it has to reflect at the lowest level and owned by those who interface with customers. Only then can it be a true differentiator over and above the product.

Till then the select few who have mastered this art will continue to dominate.

[1.2TSI7DSG]

It's very difficult to make a choice between the two.
I choose the product over the service. Be it my GT tsi or my dad's Ciaz.

I care for the product such that I don't require the after sales except for the regular service

[invidious]

Looking at the results, it seems closer than the Hillary-Trump election. But is this forum representative enough to draw a conclusion? After all, car aficionados are more heart than head.

Having acquired vehicles based on both criteria, I would now go for after-sales. My Linea served me well and has been am excellent vehicle. Unfortunately, there has been no service center in Bombay for a while. So even the word "after-sales" seems a tad mythical.

I guess it is also a factor of your spending power. For a consumer spending 20 lacs + on a vehicle ; it would most likely be a matter "product satisfaction" anyways - why else would be spend 4x - 20x more on a product which gets the same job done as a 5 lac rupee car. For a first time car buyer with a limited budget, the factor will be cost of ownership and resale value till he eventually moved to a higher segment in due course.

[jphukan]

I chose after sales - I just bought my first car and being a newbie, I would sleep well knowing that I would not be fleeced every time I go to the service center.

However the tradeoff would be a good (not the best car, product wise) car and exceptional service. I think those products do well in our market.

[centaur]

I would say its a very thin line to choose between the two because a poor after sales will eventually cause you to hate (i know that's a harsh word) the product. Buying a product is a one time experience, but the service will mostly be bi-annually or annually for as long as you own the product and if the service center cannot solve any problems, even minor irritants, with the car, then you start cursing the product. However, I would say this holds more true when its a new car and has a warranty.

If I buy a second hand which doesn't have any warranty active on it, I wouldn't really bother about the service as I could easily go to the local FNG and get the work done at lower cost. Adding to it, the local FNGs also sometimes have desi jugaads up their sleeves which we never get at the ASSC. So many a times we can save a replacement with a repair.

[deehunk]

After sales support is key thing for me, most Car manufacturers have failed in India due to lack of focus on customer and pampering the ASS. When I look back at last 15 years, how many Indian brands have survived the onslaught of globalization? Suzuki may have failed globally but they are unbeatable in India. The success of one particular brand in India and constant failure of others is largely due the focus of Suzuki on customer expectations. Their vehicles may not have the road dynamics of a Duster or interiors of a Hyundai or a great engine like the ones from VW group but they have retained the trust of customers from 3 decades. People know there is a price protection for their cars when buying a Maruti vehicle unlike other brands.

[aargee]

What's the point of getting married when Wife wants to go to her Parent's house even to see a hatched egg!! Once a while short visits are OK, but every now & then? Husband has to sleep hugging only a pillow!!

Like I keep always saying...Buying is one time affair, but maintenance is for lifetime.

[Neur0t0xin]

After sales service makes perfect business sense for the company, whichever car brand you end up buying. Service centers are always looking to sell spares for the company and they do have targets to meet every month. I don't think these service centers are completely honest in running their businesses. Just to give an example, a petrol Hyundai Verna 2nd free service cost 4000 bucks including a much inflated cost of 1800 bucks for wheel balancing (mentioned as for 4 wheels) and alignment including weights. Nothing against Hyundai or their A.S.S, it's just the same with all the other companies too.

So anyday I would vote to drive the car which makes me happy.

[octane_100]

In the poll question after sales is combined with reliability. IMHO, it is a product trait and should be combined with product satisfaction. I may not bother about after sales, but reliability of product may be important.

[redcruiser]

I have voted for product/product satisfaction.
In my perspective one should answer two questions before buying so that the choice becomes easier.

1. What if the car behaves weirdly when you take a curve at some speed or encountering road undulations at highway speeds. Well in such a situation one may lose the control of the car which may prove fatal in some cases. Will I be alive to take it service center ?

Thinking on above lines one should look for a car with good handling and suspension, good braking power and finally should have a solid build quality.

The above logic answers the product part.

2. What if i am taken for a ride with my servicing and spend my hard earned money on the petty tricks played by ASS. Will i be able to handle all the hassles and the mental trauma ?

If you give importance to the above point-2 then one should vote for ASS.

[pnredkar]

Hi,

I voted for product. It is inline with my car purchases: Opel Corsa & Volkswagen Vento. (WagonR is for my wife)

I think that this survey is mainly about "good product, average service" vs. "average product, good service". There would be very few takers for either "bad product" or "bad service" however good the other may be. For me it is always heart (product) vs head (service). And I would rather go where my heart is.

Few pages ago, I read a quote about how the purchase happens once but you have to deal with service life long. I would say the other way: you deal with the product on a daily basis, you have to deal with the service station occasionally.

[aravind.anand]

Choosing an average car, just because you get really good service, is like getting married to a girl you don't like, just because you love her family Just doesn't make sense, IMHO. I would rather suffer for about a week each year with lackluster service (or go for a good individual garage) rather than live with an average product all through the year.

And I am rather surprised at the neck-to-neck way the poll is progressing, reminding me that lot many people prefer peace of mind too!

[west]

I choose after sales and services, ofcourse it wouldnt make sense if you dont like the product