[Tushar]

In an ideal world, we'd know everything a car would go through in its product life cycle. You can be mad at VW and give them an earful but the simple truth is you agreed to pay them for the car for what it is and not what it could be.

Back when I bought my Jazz, the car got discounts of over Rs 1 lakh mere weeks after I took delivery. Was I upset? You bet, but all I can say is it's bad timing for me. There are multiple and regular incidences like this, unfortunately. Just look at how often Ford's model range gets feature and variant revisions, as if someone keeps hitting 'refresh' at their product planning team. Some exceptions like Maruti's S-Cross DDiS 320 rebate exist, but that's what a goodwill gesture is - something you can do but not something you're required to do.

[rageshgr]

Nothing new. When they introduced 1.0 TSI last year they had a variant called “TSI Edition” which sat below Highline. It was later shelved.
VW keeps updating and bringing new variants etc every few months. Either you buy the best car available for the price you can afford
Or wait infinitely for that perfect car.

Why would a company risk not selling their own model and tell you about future models? They are here to make money for them not us.

Even in Amazon prices drop after you buy. Companies can introduce any new model whenever they want. Turbo edition is a great VFM addition. No point in crying about it just because someone brought something else before. Better cars will always be introduced after you buy. That is life

[ArunRam]

Even for the same model, the prices can vary along the year due to different discounts available at that time. Also another person who is buying the same car at the same time of yours, might get a lower price since he negotiated better. Do you feel betrayed in this case?

I am curious, does this sense arise from, "others will be getting a better deal than I got" feeling?

I think your friend( whose mail you shared) should to talk to Chevy owners who got their car just before GM announced their closure in India. May be then he would enjoy the nice car he just purchased.

[GTO]

This is why I insist = ALWAYS buy the better engine . Would you rather feel bad about:

- Paying 1 lakh rupees more

OR

- Living with the inferior engine

1 lakh over an ownership period of 10 years is nothing. But living with an inferior engine for 10 years would be brutal. If the person in the opening post had gotten the 1.0 TSI motor at whatever price it was available at then, he'd probably be a happier man. I can live with having paid more, but not an inferior product.

[VWAllstar]

Originally Posted by GTO

This is why I insist = ALWAYS buy the better engine . I can live with having paid more, but not an inferior product.

Way back in 2017, I went into a VW showroom with a budget of 11 Lakhs (OTR). I was certain to buy a Polo GT TSI. On the day of my visit, VW launched the All-star version of Vento 1.6 MPI with me doing the honours. At the same price point, I got lured to book the Vento. As a car Vento is far superior to Polo/ Ameo. However, the engine wasn't to my liking at all. I ended up buying another Figo S TDCI and Vento was being ignored. Now, with absolutely no intention of driving the Vento much, we sold it for a mere 6.5 Lakhs with 22K KMs on the Odometer. I regret of not shelling out another 2 lakhs and buying the Vento TSI which would have been with us for a decade. Also, who knows I would not have gone for the Figo S with Vento giving me all the pleasures of driving and owning a far superior engine and gearbox. Lesson learnt and will surely won't repeat it when we go for an upgrade in another 5 years time.

[TrackDay]

In some cases it is better that you had done the purchase earlier than later. Feature deletion is also common in some brands for the refresh models. There is nothing to be done in certain cases like missing wheel well claddings in the newer cars. Also take the case of upcoming EcoSport refresh without the tailgate spare wheel.

[dudevarkey]

One of my friends had bought a Mobilio and after two weeks BRV was launched. The first mistake he made was, he didn't do his research when he could do it as he is from media, before buying Mobilio. I still remember his expression when he saw the BRV picture (for me BRV is still an ugly car, but if you compare it with Mobilio, its a very beautiful one).

This happens. We bought an Alto in 2003 and within a month after we purchased it, my aunt also bought one and by the time the price of Alto was reduced by 15K. 15K difference in 2003, and for a car like Alto which was around 3L was a big amount. But that's how life is, we do not get to enjoy great deals always.

[himanshumor]

Thanks to everyone for responding to this thread! This was posted to get opinions from you all and frame answers to my initial questions along with your valuable suggestions!


1)Is VW justified in doing such a thing? Why could not VW inform this in advance and sell the Mpi variant at higher discounts to allow customers to decide what they want if stock clearance was their main point to sustain business
Answer: VW is right and justified in launching such editions, in fact, they are more than right by making the sweet TSi Engine more accessible! They are making 10-year Polo still a great choice for new buyers!
And they have done nothing wrong with existing customers, and we can’t expect them to show goodwill gesture as shown by Maruti by refunding 90K to their S-CROSS buyers because it is totally up to VW on how they want to maintain the balance of attracting new customers and retaining old customers!

2) What should one do now? Will ŠKODA AUTO VOLKSWAGEN INDIA PRIVATE LIMITED entertain such email requests?
Answer: No, they will never entertain and in fact, no Manufacturer will entertain such requests!

3)If the company does not entertain then what is the practical solution for such buyers?
Sell their new car on used car platforms like cars24/spinny/droom etc.?
How much loss is expected in doing so?
Answer: Sensible solution is to meditate, drop the remorse and start enjoying the MPi Comfortline exactly as you planned it at the time of booking the car!
If someone really wants TSi, better sell it now and go for TSi but loss with Depreciation value and the new purchase will be more than the case if the buyer had purchased Highline Plus in the first place!
As very rightfully quoted by dragonfire below:

Originally Posted by dragonfire

Depends. If you are just miffed that you missed a good deal, don't bother. You will forget it in no time. But, do you really want a 1.0 TSi? Would you - every time when you take the car out - be reminded that you could have had a better car if you had waited? Then just go ahead and sell this and buy the new TSi. You will lose a lot of money, but you will not be cursing yourself every moment you are using the car. It's an expensive solution. But as they say, a stitch in time saves nine.

Thanks again to everyone for sharing your honest opinions, and below are my individual quoted replies:

Originally Posted by GTO

Of course, such "surprise deals" can lead to some disgruntled existing owners. But let me ask you a question = what if it had swung the other way? What if the price of the MPI had gone up by a further 1 lakh? Would you pay the difference? Obviously not.

Agreed and Fair point sometimes deals sweeten with time and some other times they get sour, so we can be on one side only!!

Originally Posted by pavi

This is how life is. You can also create a thread when the new Rapid comes, but the replies will be in the same line.
To the Polo MPI owners, you made a great decision by buying a Polo whose pros are well known in this forum and did I say everyone loves it . Who cares if it is a 10 year old car, it looks hot even now. Enjoy the car, love it and it loves back.

Thanks, and I get it completely! I do hope that Polo MPI Comfortline owners (buyers in the last month before this announcement) should understand this too.

Originally Posted by volkman10

Agree to all points but would like to comment on Rapid.
The new Sedan is not a Rapid replacement, but will be in a segment higher and priced at a premium too

So, the Segment of Rapid will stay as it is?
I was under the impression that Skoda will upgrade the segment of Rapid itself and eventually Rapid (or any of its facelift in same price range) will be discontinued and only the higher segment new sedan will stay.

Originally Posted by McLaren Rulez

The guy in the email wants to send his car to the Chakan plant, have them insert his car in the middle of a production line, make it "equivalent to a TSI" i.e. add a turbo + other features and pay 17k for it.
Perhaps VW could throw in a flying unicorn for the inconvenience?

While I do agree that sending the car to Chakan plant and making it equivaled to TSI is like going way too far in expectations, but this is frustration coming out as he had to wait from December to February just to get this car because he was told in December that car production had stopped and if you want then book the car by placing a new order so that the about to be manufactured(in 2021) car will be given to you by February.

Originally Posted by androdev

Life is like a box of chocolates. Always enjoy a well-researched decision no matter what happens afterwards.
I think Polo will offer more pleasant surprises as VW brings in their Taigun, etc. They still haven't exhausted all variant possibilities with Polo :-)
Doesn't matter how old Polo is, it will continue to appeal to the Euro lovers.

True that, I agree!

Originally Posted by motorworks

I think he is just taking a wild shot! Maybe hoping that VW compensates him with some freebies. To be fair, VW has done nothing thats wrong. Manufacturers update their products all the time, for various reasons, to increase their sales, react to competition etc. And sometimes customers feel a bit shortchanged.

Yeah, I do agree to this, he is taking a wild shot and expressing his frustration as he remained unlucky despite waiting for 3 months to get the car. It takes a little more time for someone to understand this who happens to face this for the very first time.
I am sure this post will help him along with others in similar situation to make peace with their decision faster, this post will probably help those who might face similar things in future also!

Originally Posted by PrideRed

You buy polo turbo edition now for 6.99 lacs, VW will add few more kit and even an autobox and launch a Sticker edition for 7.49 lacs after a month. While we are discussing on Turbo Edition, I am sure VW has already started working on next edition.

That is so true! And this surely is such a good thing for everyone in the line of buying a VW.
And those who might feel disgruntled by buying the car days before new upgrade launch, will have all their answers in this post.

Originally Posted by ashis89

How much in advance? What happens to someone who bought a day before this 'advance date'?
In the past, Maruti Suzuki refunded money to early buyers of S-Cross 1.6 when the latter saw price cuts. Though in this case, the company has launched a new variant at a slightly higher price.
Not worth as you will lose a lot of money in resale. Please hold on to the car for atleast another 3-4 years and then plan for a lateral upgrade.
Until then, the grapes are sour.

1) Thanks to you for making me understand this point – “What happens to someone who bought a day before this 'advance date'?”
As I did not think this when I tried to find what else VW could possibly do to not leave such disgruntled customers
2) Comparing this to Maruti refunding money in case of S-Cross, I feel technically this is similar case as they have changed the Engine+Gearbox completely in the exact same model.
But I feel refunding money is like beyond expectation gesture, What Maruti did was one of a kind commendable gesture!
I agree that VW has not done anything wrong here with the existing buyers, rather they have done a lot of Right for the upcoming buyers.

Originally Posted by cryptarchy

But I don’t regret buying the polo as the build and finish is of high quality.

Thanks a lot for mentioning this. I get your POV that the amazing paint finish, build quality, structure has been as it is from 2010, so from this POV VW has been most loyal to Indian customers as compared to any other car in the segment like Swift,Figo,i20 as all of those have received generation upgrades.

Originally Posted by veedub89

I think we need to stop getting outraged and offended at everything.
Buyer's remorse is real. But get over it. Enjoy what you have and stop worrying about what you don't.

As much I understood the buyer’s situation from conversation with him and his email, he felt this way as he waited for 3 months to book a car for fresh order placement to VW and then he got this news 10 days after delivery.
But I agree with you that we need to stop getting offended at everything as this is still a car and all such Comfortline buyers got a brand-new car for the money they paid.
This is no serious situation like that of recent COVID example, imagining the feeling of those who tested Positive the day before they were about to receive the scheduled Vaccine dose!

Originally Posted by TrackDay

Don't worry this is way too common. At least your car looks almost identical in terms of exterior design. If anything you have to thank VW for that. If it is any comfort, think about Hyundai owners, especially the Verna. That car is refreshed like every two years or something. Or better think about the luxury car segment buyers who went out and got a Maybach and then come to know next gen is announced

If it is any solace, going by their history they might launch another special edition some time later maybe in a couple of months. Would the Turbo edition owners feel offended then ?

Thanks for mentioning these on-point examples, makes all the sense and I am sure all such Comfortline buyers will understand reading this post.
Such feeling is of those customers who are not so much into cars and car industry updates, they might not even know if they need TSi or not, maybe MPi is more than enough for them. But their feeling this way is obvious due to lack of insight and so they end up feeling cheated.
This post and comments will not just help the Comfortline buyers but also any other similar buyers in future from any other car manufacturer as well to understand how this works.

Originally Posted by igemini

There is nothing much you can do about that. But again, at the time of purchase, you might have really loved the car and what it offers at that point of time. Thus you went with the purchase. Apart from the engine performance compared to the TSI, I don't think you are missing many. Take the positive sides of the car and enjoy the car when you have it. I have read a few threads here from the happy owners of the 1.0 MPI Polo.
Instead of thinking about what you have not got, think about what you have currently got and how to enjoy it while you have it. Happy and safe motoring. Take things on a positive note.

Thanks a lot! I am sure this comment will make their perspective a lot more positive to look at the MPi Comfortline purchase.
And for benefits of MPi, I have already written the blog and created enough videos on YouTube to showcase, such customers can always refer.

Originally Posted by hemanth.anand

I know it's not a good feeling but we can do nothing much. However, life is an equalizer...sometimes you buy something and the price jumps up. We have to Move on!

Thanks for the understanding and giving the right message!
When this happens with someone who made the purchase with all the savings, its hard BUT move on is the only way! The sooner they move on, the better it is for them only.

Originally Posted by Altocumulus

It's frustrating yes, but you have to live with it. Buying a car is always a gamble. You booked it 3 months back and that time your friend thought that the car met all his requirements. The Tsi engine was available even then, however he didn't think he needed a Turbo engine. After this launch the requirements have suddenly changed. VW cant do anything about it.
OT: It was a masterstroke by VW, adding this engine to the Comfortline variant and making the Tsi engine more accessible when it saw that Polo is selling in decent numbers because of it.

Agreed completely!
TSi was not the choice by the buyer at the time of booking 3 months ago as budget to buy the car had already stretched to its max with Comfortline, seeing such a news when you see that TSi has become accessible at the exact same price definitely makes them feel frustrated and obvious too.
But also, is the need to understand that this is how it is, nothing can be done apart from moving on.
Masterstroke by VW: Hell yes! You may find it funny but trust me I had 4 of my subscribers in conversation with me who were about to finalize the Trendline as Highline was out of their budget, or they were just waiting for few more months to have some more saving to go for Highline(only because of TSi)! All have booked this Turbo Edition Comfortline now!
Being the oldest chassis in segment, Polo still handles best and TSi makes it the tastiest of all hatchbacks! And Now TSi being more affordable is like “Even Grapes have gone sweeter”

Originally Posted by amol4184

Just curious. Do you happen to be a lawyer? Why are so many people calling you for this
Just imagine the plight of few people who bought 2019 Tata Harrier. Or people who bought properties in 2019. T-bhp in general leans towards forum members against big corporations but in this case this person is just salty and unable to cope with the shiny new object launched at lucrative price.

Ha-ha! It is really tough being a lawyer and I am not one!
I just am a (wannabe) Youtuber with a tiny list of subscribers. A couple of folks bought Polo MPi engine watching my review, so they spoke to me after this Turbo Edition launch!
One of them is my friend who felt so bad that he wrote this email to VW, I thought to share this here only to get expert opinions. And Thanks to you and all others who have responded, I have compiled the response at beginning of this comment.
Below is one of my YouTube video for reference on what I do, while this may not be good in terms of content creation but all I can say is that I keep trying

https://youtu.be/QdZhHbthZVY

Originally Posted by click

I feel your pain. But as most have already said, move on. There is no point of if and why's... the company does what it needs to stay afloat. Discounts is one of the strategies frequently applied to do so.
I recently got a MacBook Air and within two weeks a new one with M1 chip was introduced. Did Apple owe me an explanation on why they didn't tell me a new one was on the way. Nope. I got the machine which is quite nice at the price point I thought was good enough. Thats the end of it.
Enjoy your car and tell all those who come to you to do the same as well.

Agreed, Thanks and I am sure everyone in similar situation will easily move on by reading this post!

Originally Posted by Kosfactor

We had something similar happening a few years ago. It was Royal Enfield doing something similar, better features, lower price.
RE Pegasus Story (Royal Enfield Pegasus 500 owners feel cheated, express disappointment over cheaper Signals 350)
The 1.0 MPi can make you regret the purchase even otherwise once you take it out on the open, much like the 1.2 MPi it replaced.

Thanks a lot for sharing this! This is exactly same situation here, but nothing can be done apart from moving on for such Comfortline buyers!

Originally Posted by Varun_HexaGuy

Betrayal? Lol. Didn't you just mention in your review that you didn't really need a TSI then. What's the fuss about it now? It was you who chose to save money and get the base model. Now that the company cares for its business and offers a superior engine in a lower model, what's the problem? They're here to make money at the end of the day and it was you who decided to buy the car. I'm sure you were aware of what is it with the car you were buying.

There were two points I clearly mentioned in my original post. As my post is primarily about those who bought Comfortline buyers who missed the TSi opportunity at almost same price, let me first give you details about what I felt:
I felt a bit betrayed by reading the news that a better TSi engine is now just 1.2 lacs away (along with some nice extra features) while it was 2.8 lacs away when I bought my Trendline.
This was my thought for some 5-10 minutes till the time I did all the math to know that I bought Trendline at max available discounts(best possible deal one could get at that time) AND I am a sedate driver who drivers in a relaxed manner 99 percent of the time. So practically the actual power of TSi will be used by me in 1% of my total drives.
So, I have no reason to feel betrayed and that’s why I wrote “I made peace”

Going further, even if 6 months down the line VW again launches another special edition by giving TSi in Trendline, I will still not feel bad as I am absolutely happy with my MPI Trendline, writing great memories in my vlogs+blogs and a lot of customizations are in progress.

The main agenda of this post is w.r.t the Comfortline buyers and I have compiled the response for them in beginning of this post by consolidating the views/opinions/suggestions by you all in this post!

Originally Posted by steadfast

Well summing my thoughts very crisply -
"Life is Just a stock market."

Thanks for the crisp yet meaningful comment!
The sooner one understands this, the better it is him/her only!!

Originally Posted by VaidhiR

Companies offer different models depending on their convenience. And you bought yours based on yours. If you wait for a perfect model, you will have to wait forever because that's how fast-paced the industry really is. There is no perfect timing in all of this. You bought it at a time when you felt like buying it. That's all.
Betrayal? Replacement? Not at all. Standard market behaviour? Yes.

Thanks for the response! I agree!

Originally Posted by volksvig

I got my Tiguan at 30 lakhs OTR price in December 2019. A friend of mine had got the same at 33 lakhs OTR in October, 2019. That’s how the car business works. I know it is a very bad thing to stomach but better to live with it and get used to it.

Agreed! getting used to it is the only best way for customers as of now!

Originally Posted by RoadMonkey

Well, what about those who paid a premium in order to get a Polo with TSI? Should they ask for a refund? Or what about those who bought cars after the recent price hike by auto manufacturers, should they be made to pay extra?

The decisions are made in the present with all things considered and the options available in the present. You can't retrospectively visit decisions and decide for the companies to accommodate you. (Only the Govt can do that). Be happy with what you've bought. At times it's nothing more than FOHMO, aka Fear of having missed out. Automotive world will always continue to change, you can't have gripes with anyone for that or expect anyone to make it up to you.

Thanks a lot, and agreed!

Originally Posted by landcruiser123

Imagine the plight for Ford owners.

The demands stated in the email are beyond unreasonable. Companies will offer better deal (price or package wise) on products due to maturing technology, economies of scale, or competitors. If you keep waiting expecting a deal on a product to get better, you'll only keep waiting. One has to do his research before buying a high value item like a car, cell-phone, laptop etc. If you don't have the knowledge/bandwidth, ask a friend/relative who is a tech-geek or a car-nut - they'll have useful information at their fingertips and can tell you what to expect.

As an example: On telling the SA he was considering the Verna with 6 airbags, my friend got enough hints that made him wait for a facelifted City ZX (4th gen).

I agree with you that companies will offer better deals with time, so buy the product when its needed or else you will keep waiting for the latest one!
For the point “As an example: On telling the SA he was considering the Verna with 6 airbags, my friend got enough hints that made him wait for a facelifted City ZX (4th gen)” -- This is a different case with VW as there were no hints and this is how VW does upgrades like they did same thing with Highline earlier in 2020 when they launched the 1.0 TSi engine in Highline Plus!
So, VW gives hints only when a new car is about to launch like the VW TAIGUN, or we will have spy images of Next gen polo/vento/Rapid when they are about to get launched. But they do keep it super-secret while upgrading existing generation models.
And I agree that it is nothing to complain here because this is their strategy!

Originally Posted by Rajiv Krishnan

I would like to point out the other side of the coin. I was considering getting a new Vento and read an ownership thread wherein the owner received 1 lakh discount on a highline plus. Thinking this was a sweet deal, I excitedly messaged the dealer asking if this was available, only to realise i had missed the deal by one month. VW offered it at a time when sales were slow due to covid, or so I understand. Imagine how that feels. Not 17k, but 1 lakh. But such is life. These deals come and go. You do the best you can in the moment.

Thanks a lot for this –“ These deals come and go. You do the best you can in the moment” !
This goes for any product and not just cars.

Originally Posted by overtaker

Exactly. Imaging the plight of house owners who brought property in 2019 worth much more than a Polo TSI. Anything that involves tech are invariably upgraded and subjected to competitive pricing based on commercial factors.

Will the person pay extra, if VW has increased the prices?

Whatever it is, now that it has been brought, just enjoy the drive......

Thinking about prices would only brood remorse.

True that “Thinking about prices would only brood remorse” ! My friend( who sent this email) and other similar Comfortline buyers should enjoy the car they have as life is too short for wasting time in remorse for such situations!

Originally Posted by SansGT

Think about the Ecosport owners. The most VFM Titanium variant suddenly got a sunroof and safety features (ESP, TC, Hill Hold) without a single penny increase in price. Think about the frustration of those owners who had bought a Titanium just before the update.
Having said that, it happens as companies look to trump each other in an ever competitive market. The best thing is to forget, enjoy the machine you have and move on.

Yeah! Sunroof & safety features (ESP, TC, Hill Hold) mean a lot.
"The best thing is to forget, enjoy the machine you have and move on”- Indeed! There is a lot to enjoy in the MPi Polo, and such Comfortline MPi buyers should enjoy it to the fullest.

Originally Posted by dragonfire

Depends. If you are just just miffed that you missed a good deal, don't bother. You will forget it in no time.
But, do you really want a 1.0 TSi? Would you - every time when you take the car out - be reminded that, you could have had a better car if you had waited? Then just go ahead and sell this and buy the new TSi. You will lose a lot of money, but you will not be cursing yourself every moment you you are using the car.
It's an expensive solution. But as they say, a stitch in time saves nine.

Thanks a lot! You have just nailed the answer I was looking for such Comfortline buyers on what can be done now?
If they really wanted TSi, they could have gone for Highline Plus in the first place!
But now if they really want TSi, they should sell the car and go for the TSi now only which ofcourse will be more expensive than going for Highline Plus in the first place. Again reiterating as you very rightly pointed “as they say, a stitch in time saves nine” !!
And if TSi is not the actual need and remorse is only for missing out the opportunity by a few days, this will go away in no time!!

Originally Posted by venkyhere

why does this ranting and crying over sour grapes, deserve a thread ? Mods, please close/delete this thread. Makes TBHP look like an agony aunt / neighbourhood gossip forum

Now that I disagree completely, this deserves a thread for sure! While i am in agreement with the common opinion of others that I have summed up in the beginning of this comment.

Originally Posted by ishan12

This post made me remember the Pegasus con job that Royal Enfield pulled off
Related thread
https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/motor...als-350-a.html (Royal Enfield Pegasus 500 owners feel cheated, express disappointment over cheaper Signals 350)
Such is life and such is business. Tell your friend there is no point in chasing this or even discussing it at lengths.

Agreed!

Originally Posted by ron178

We bought a Polo 1.0MPI in late 2018, skipping the DSG because of the horror stories (already have a 1.8TSI+DSG). It is slow but it gets the job done. But now that my mother wants a smaller car to drive (she drives only automatics), it is really painful that a better engine+torque converter combination was launched just a year later. And recently, a TSI variant was launched at a lower price than we purchased our 1.0MPI for (albeit with a manual transmission), which really stings. But things like this will always keep happening. VW launches special editions very often and this is not something unprecedented. I wouldn't recommend that the sender swaps his 1.0MPI for a 1.0TSI unless he absolutely can't live with the 1.0MPI.
Most car manufacturers won't prioritise keeping old customers happy when they can attract new customers instead. Just ask Polo GTI owners how they feel about the facelifted Polo with the honeycomb grille and diffuser.
Edit: I just went through the email, and whatever does the sender mean by "making it equivalent to a Comfortline TSI"?

Fair point! I feel 1.0 MPi is very much livable for him as he did not opt for Highline TSi in first place!
And I also agree to the Honeycomb Grille point because it means really a lot for the existing Polo GT owners because of the visual appeal! I really get that how would such GT owners might be feeling when now even the Trendline comes with honeycomb grille.

Originally Posted by R_Gowardhan

The manufacturers are not doing anything wrong and are in their own rights if they decide on portfolio shake up or price revisions to garner more sales at any point in time. Right from a vegetable vendor to a real estate giant may change prices/ give more for the same price without any prior notice to existing buyers. However, it's more about the balancing act between getting new customers into your shop and the experience you want to leave behind for your existing customers thereby ensuring loyalty for repeat purchase.

Back in 2016 when Maruti Suzuki decided to give a massive 2.5 Lacs price cut to its recently launched premium product i.e. the S Cross 1.6, they refunded 90,000/- to the early customers to ensure that the early customers who placed their trust in the company's new product (from a nascent segment in 2015-16) don't feel cheated. One of the few reasons why Maruti Suzuki attracts an unmatched brand loyalty.
Link to a related news article:
http://https://auto.economictimes.in...uyers/51522228

Thanks for sharing this! That is why Maruti stays ahead in sales charts!
VW has done all the right in launching this new Turbo Edition but what Maruti did was beyond being RIGHT!

Originally Posted by John316_WRC

Good you've made peace with your purchase. A Polo trendline is a better car than its rivals at that price point.
Buyers remorse is common. Change is constant.

Hell Yes! Polo trendline is great value for money, I was and I am happy with my Trendline(The news baffled my thoughts only for 5-10 minutes).In future, if my budget allows, I would love to buy a Polo GT as an addition but will keep this MPi Polo for sure! Just installed Campark R10 Dashcam in my polo, below video for now but Team-BHP post will be coming soon

https://youtu.be/zHhUPMIbPv8

For Comfortline owners, by the time I am responding to this post, they have already moved on and hopefully are happy with their MPi Comfortline!

Originally Posted by jithin23

I'd say enjoy the car once you have bought it. It makes no sense in selling the car. Agreed, the engine update is good but there will be some many other scenarios in life that such things happen. If we keep cribbing, it'll ruin our present moment. Enjoy the present.
In that case, Ford owners need to keep changing their car every alternate month because of the constant feature shuffle.
So I've made peace with my car and I try to enhance it as much as I can by enhancing the existing features or performance or looks

Thanks for this comment! Clearly it makes no sense in changing the car!

Originally Posted by v1p3r

Is your known friend (are there unknown friends?) going to sue his parents because he was born at the wrong time? What a nitwit. I pity the people he lives around.

What is a Public post without Hate comments? You just completed this post like every other aspect of society with some hatred!
Fun Fact: I just came to know that you are my Unknown Friend because you made me forget the actual topic of discussion for a moment and showed me the greater aspect of society where every type of individuals exist!

Originally Posted by sam264_2000

That email is unreasonable and self-entitled! Live with it.
Imagine what happens to OnePlus mobile buyers. The company launches a new version every 6 months, so the moment you buy a OnePlus mobile, it is outdated in less than 6 months.

True that! I agree that it is unreasonable to ask VW to swap the engine and my friend went too far in his expectations while being remorseful, but this post will definitely make him( and others like him) correct their way of looking at it!

Originally Posted by avdhesh15

1. Yes - that's business my friend. Main aim of business is profits for shareholders unless it's a charity. Future strategy is extremely confidential and wouldn't be known to anyone apart from few folks till point of execution.
2. No way. They've done nothing wrong.
3. You did the research and bought the car man. Why the sour grapes! Just enjoy the car. Else try the consumer court and learn why they did nothing wrong.

As for your friend, I think the smiley will summarise - :

Well, the consumer court thing is not needed I guess; this post was meant to get opinions and there have been plenty of responses now!

Originally Posted by NiInJa

Trust me, when the car becomes 5/6 years old, you will realize that peace of mind is much more valuable than outright performance!

So very true! Thank You!

Originally Posted by vj123

1. Yes it's totally justified from VW's POV. Do you want OEMs to give everyone a detailed plan of their launches for the next couple of years in advance at the beginning of every year. In that case, buyers will not be content with any of the options in the market and will keep looking forward to the next best launch.
2. Nothing. VW will not entertain these requests and this email might be a part of internal trainings on how to handle different customers.
3. Come into a self agreement that you have bought the vehicle and move on.

It might sound strong, but the email in OP's thread is a joke. How can he even think about requesting his vehicle to be taken to the manufacturing plant and retrofitting components. I can imagine how much of a fun VW executives have had reading his email.

I hope we dont see similar tBHP threads in the future.

I completely agree with all that you have said but this deserved a thread for sure!

Originally Posted by Liverpool

I suggest enjoying the car. It is new and trouble-free. That's what matters
AFASIK, Manufacturers are not responsible for anyone's choice of car and buying decision. So in short they will not entertain such emails. Rather, clock tons of miles on her. Create memories. Go for long drives. And someday when you decide to sell her it will be with a heavy heart. And when you get that feeling, you will know that it was worth purchasing.
Safe drive.
Cheers.

So true! Thanks for the beautiful advice and suggestions, the car is new and trouble-free is a big thing and matters the most!!

Originally Posted by PrasannaDhana

Hey Himan,

I still vividly remember reading your polo ownership thread, and drooling over that flash red polo of yours.
You were very strongly convinced that 1.0 mpi sufficed your needs. I understand that you could have gotten the tsi if you had waited. But hey, it was your conscious decision to buy the mpi and live with it. You even posted video on YouTube about how it is adequate for highway runs too.
Now don't beat yourselves up for the chance you missed. You gain nothing but lose your mental peace and the love for your existing polo.
The mpi is more fuel efficient, simpler than the tsi and you are safe from any of the reliability issues that may come with a turbo. I still can't forget the injector issues that plagued our 1.6 GT TDI.
There is a saying in Tamil - "ellam nanmaikey" which translates to "Everything happens for your good".
And regarding that email, they won't even consider replying to it.
Enjoy your mpi man.
I drive a 60 bhp Kwid as well as a 154 bhp Storme. I don't find the Kwid boring at all. On the road, any car is enjoyable.

Thanks a lot! I still am enjoying my MPi really good, below is a night drive video of my MPi for reference:

https://youtu.be/W5PLc0Fn1YY

My post was primarily to get opinions for comfortline buyers about should they really sell their MPi to get a new one or not, and I have received enough responses which include a big Thanks to you as well!

Originally Posted by Gildarts

I think the launch date and pricing were done aggressively to counter the new i20. Can't be equated to cheating customers.

Yes, Agreed!

Originally Posted by pannags

The "opportunity cost" of delaying a purchase is more "expensive" than the perceived "savings" you get from waiting for the right time. I rest my case.

Crisp and deep comment. Understood completely!

Originally Posted by Yieldway17

I can sympathize a tiny bit as not every consumer is tuned to new releases in pipeline etc. and sometimes are sold a model which is on the verge of getting phased out.

Just google "cash kars kc as is" and open the first video from the result and hope you can laugh at it.

I did google it and found the video, he appears to be a bit rude but everything he says in the video is 100% true and factual!

Originally Posted by Tushar

Back when I bought my Jazz, the car got discounts of over Rs 1 lakh mere weeks after I took delivery. Was I upset? You bet, but all I can say is it's bad timing for me. There are multiple and regular incidences like this, unfortunately. Just look at how often Ford's model range gets feature and variant revisions, as if someone keeps hitting 'refresh' at their product planning team. Some exceptions like Maruti's S-Cross DDiS 320 rebate exist, but that's what a goodwill gesture is - something you can do but not something you're required to do.

Can’t agree more, thanks for phrasing this!

Originally Posted by rageshgr

Nothing new. When they introduced 1.0 TSI last year they had a variant called “TSI Edition” which sat below Highline. It was later shelved.
VW keeps updating and bringing new variants etc every few months. Either you buy the best car available for the price you can afford
Or wait infinitely for that perfect car.
No point in crying about it just because someone brought something else before. Better cars will always be introduced after you buy. That is life

True that! And this will happen in the future also, probably VW might launch TSi in their Trendline by next year, who knows!

Originally Posted by ArunRam

I am curious, does this sense arise from, "others will be getting a better deal than I got" feeling?
I think your friend( whose mail you shared) should to talk to Chevy owners who got their car just before GM announced their closure in India. May be then he would enjoy the nice car he just purchased.

As much I understood, the feeling arises from waiting for 3 months and then getting an outdated variant! But TSi was not a die-hard requirement of my friend in the first place because if that was the case, he would have gone for Highline Plus in the first place.
And I agree that there is no benefit from feeling that remorseful way, summed it up in my opening lines of this comment.

Originally Posted by GTO

This is why I insist = ALWAYS buy the better engine . Would you rather feel bad about:
- Paying 1 lakh rupees more
OR
- Living with the inferior engine
1 lakh over an ownership period of 10 years is nothing. But living with an inferior engine for 10 years would be brutal. If the person in the opening post had gotten the 1.0 TSI motor at whatever price it was available at then, he'd probably be a happier man. I can live with having paid more, but not an inferior product.

True that! If he had gone for Highline Plus TSi in the first place, then that would have been a safe choice.

Originally Posted by VWAllstar

Way back in 2017, I went into a VW showroom with a budget of 11 Lakhs (OTR). I was certain to buy a Polo GT TSI. On the day of my visit, VW launched the All-star version of Vento 1.6 MPI with me doing the honours. At the same price point, I got lured to book the Vento. As a car Vento is far superior to Polo/ Ameo. However, the engine wasn't to my liking at all. I ended up buying another Figo S TDCI and Vento was being ignored. Now, with absolutely no intention of driving the Vento much, we sold it for a mere 6.5 Lakhs with 22K KMs on the Odometer. I regret of not shelling out another 2 lakhs and buying the Vento TSI which would have been with us for a decade. Also, who knows I would not have gone for the Figo S with Vento giving me all the pleasures of driving and owning a far superior engine and gearbox. Lesson learnt and will surely won't repeat it when we go for an upgrade in another 5 years time.

Thanks for sharing this! As GTO pointed, if my friend had purchased the Highline Plus in the first place, he would have been happier irrespective of any such changes by VW because this TSi engine is going to be the flagship engine of polo for at least the next 2 years!

Originally Posted by TrackDay

There is nothing to be done in certain cases like missing wheel well claddings in the newer cars. Also take the case of upcoming EcoSport refresh without the tailgate spare wheel.

Yeah rightly pointed out! The Spare wheel has been replaced with a Tire Puncture kit by Ford!

Originally Posted by dudevarkey

This happens. We bought an Alto in 2003 and within a month after we purchased it, my aunt also bought one and by the time the price of Alto was reduced by 15K. 15K difference in 2003, and for a car like Alto which was around 3L was a big amount. But that’s how life is, we do not get to enjoy great deals always.

Very rightly quoted! That’s how life is and it is still beautiful, we just need to adjust our perspective at times for enjoying life to its fullest!

[PrasannaDhana]

That must have been the highest multi-quote usage in team bhp ever!

Glad you got your answers.

[NiInJa]

Just want to say thank you for taking the time out to reply to each post

Glad to know I was of some help!

[v1p3r]

Originally Posted by himanshumor

What is a Public post without Hate comments? You just completed this post like every other aspect of society with some hatred!
Fun Fact: I just came to know that you are my Unknown Friend because you made me forget the actual topic of discussion for a moment and showed me the greater aspect of society where every type of individuals exist!

Haha that wasn't hatred. That was sarcasm. Others have said similar things - unicorn, sour grapes, the guy should go meditate. I'm happy to be your friend, known or otherwise.

I've been on the other side - in the factory, building cars. There is a distinction between 'customer is always right' and 'doesn't know what (s)he is talking about'. Each type gets the reaction they deserve. You are right though - this thread shows every type of individual that exists - your friend and their worthless query, your sweet nature in actually trying to help out, and my cynicism.

Originally Posted by PrasannaDhana

That must have been the highest multi-quote usage in team bhp ever!

Haha yes, kudos to OP for taking the time to patiently go through and multiquote and reply.