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Old 17th May 2007, 12:15   #16
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Honda most likely will not do a thing about this threat from the SX4. I just dont see them reducing prices, throwing in goodies or the like. Even when the City's sales start going down, expect them to still maintain a stiff upper lip in the guise of protecting brand name and recall.
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Old 17th May 2007, 12:19   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by narayan View Post
guys - ive been an owner of a HONDA CITY 1.5 EXI for last 2.5 years. the car is a 2001 model bought second hand. though i completely enjoy driving this car - the owner ship experience is not something im really happy about - especially when a 2.5 lakh alto owner gets a FAR FAR SUPERIOR ownership experience than i get from HONDA......

I WHOLEHEARTEDLY WELCOME THE SX4 and i SINCERELY WISH IT GIVES THE CITY A SERIOUS RUN FOR ITS MONEY AND LITERALLY BRINGS HONDA TO ITS FEET ( WHICH IS WHERE IT HAS BEEN ALL ALONG KEEPING ITS CUSTOMERS )
It got to do with the Honda dealer in Chennai.
We need to differentiate between Honda Cars vs Honda Dealers. Similar case can be made wrt any manufacturer.
I guess this thread is meant for NHC vs SX4 as cars.
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Old 17th May 2007, 12:25   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by msdivy View Post
It got to do with the Honda dealer in Chennai.
We need to differentiate between Honda Cars vs Honda Dealers. Similar case can be made wrt any manufacturer.
I guess this thread is meant for NHC vs SX4 as cars.

the point on dealership IMHO is important bcos , service forms a large part of the product experience and not just the product performance alone

bcos largely products are commoditised....

so if im paying 7-8 lakhs for a car - i demand good service irrespective of how good the car may be
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Old 17th May 2007, 12:28   #19
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SX4 ke kandhe pe banduk rakh ke Honda pe goli ?
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Old 17th May 2007, 12:57   #20
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I have been a maruthi owner previously and i have always had this feeling that the quality of their products are suspect .. how else do u think that they manage to keep their prices down ..

Couple of my friends who are swift owners are not exactly a delighted lot .. they complain of dash vibrations, minor niggles here and there all of which can only be attributed to compromise on quality ...

With Honda u are assured of a good quality product ... and thats the reason for a premium on their product ...

So many goodys on SX4 make me suspect what flaws are they trying to hide ...
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Old 17th May 2007, 12:58   #21
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Quote:
Originally Posted by zakaaaaasss View Post
SX4 ke kandhe pe banduk rakh ke Honda pe goli ?
All of us want to buy hondas but at a lesser price and with cheaper service package. One way to achieve this is to encourage more and more people to buy SX4's...

It's like all car-makers actively and vociferrously promoting better public transport infrastructure (more buses, trains, etc) bacause it actually will help push car sales up - by creating more empty roads thereby making car driving safer and enjoyable...:-)
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Old 17th May 2007, 13:01   #22
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Quote:
Originally Posted by zakaaaaasss View Post
SX4 ke kandhe pe banduk rakh ke Honda pe goli ?
Definitely. But linearly
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Old 17th May 2007, 13:03   #23
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Quote:
Originally Posted by narayan View Post
the point on dealership IMHO is important bcos , service forms a large part of the product experience and not just the product performance alone

bcos largely products are commoditised....

so if im paying 7-8 lakhs for a car - i demand good service irrespective of how good the car may be
Absolutely.. Its the total experience that matters.

Also, note that the NHC is the cheapest/lowest from Honda's offerings whereas SX4 is at the top of Maruti's offerings (spare the Vitara as its almost insignificant)..
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Old 17th May 2007, 13:31   #24
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Honda sells City ZX Vtec WITH Steermatic (7 speed mode OR CVT) in PAKISTAN for 691,374.87 INR. Ex showroom.

And thats a 110 PS developed at 5800 RPM.
Our NHC is Detuned for Indian quality petrol?? Pakistani petrol seems way better. Their manufacturing costs too seem lower. There also Honda commands a premium on quality.

Its not too much different in SE Asian countries. Much-Much cheaper than what we get here. AND much better specced.

Quality is no doubt good in case of NHC. But are they justified in commanding so much more than what others get for in other countries?
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Old 17th May 2007, 13:38   #25
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Well, petrol is cheaper in Pakistan and other countries too. Its got to do with government duties. Half the expense is towards those taxes.
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Old 17th May 2007, 14:08   #26
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OT: Honda in Pakistan

Hmm, In Pak, Honda seems to have more options even in Civic with a VTi Oriel model with sun roof and it costs only about INR 10 lacs :(

However Accord (only AT option) seems to be priced at about INR 19 lacs.

See the link below

::Honda Pakistan::
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Old 17th May 2007, 14:15   #27
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sids911 View Post
4. Status Symbol : Show off.Hollow.Pretense. Akin to taking a dumb blonde with you at some page 3 party. Not involving, not even worth conversing with, but considered fun to show off. How much fun is showing off your washing machine to others?
I like the part about the dumb blonde.. Just to add, NHC is no blonde bombshell either. Its like a blonde who had plastic surgery on backside (to add the boot) and ..erm..the front side (so called revolutionary cab forward design). All IMHO of course.
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Old 17th May 2007, 14:34   #28
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And a bulging belly (petrol tank) right in the middle ?
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Old 17th May 2007, 14:38   #29
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Chosen SX4 to buy

I was in a situation till a week before - to finalize between NHC EXi and SX4 (waiting for release, knowing some spec/features info).

Last week, after looking at spec & features list (thanks to TBHPians who published it before launch in B'lore) of SX4, I booked SX4 before even launch.

Only 3 things impressed me with NHC: FE, look/interiors and brand. Otherwise, dealer sucked me with no discount/goodies. When I pay 8.12L on road, I expected at least ABS, stereo, keyless entry, etc - none were standard in NHC Exi.....Had I bought it, I would have to spend 50K at least to get many of them and still many of SX4's spec/features would be missing in NHC (ABS/EBD, Airbag, fog lamp, etc).

When I called up Honda sales person (when SX4 was just launched) and asked if NHC price would come down or any goodies/discounts due to SX4 competition, she said "We are Honda"....

2 days back, she called me and I said that I decided to go with SX4.

She discussed 3 things:
  1. FE is very good in NHC: I said, SX4's FE figures are yet to be out, even if it is 2 or 3 Kms less than NHC, I am ok to compromise for safety features I am getting with SX4
  2. GC is more in SX4 and it is unstable at 120 Kmph speed: I asked, where in Bangalore city traffic you get to drive at 120 and even in long drive you won't get to drive at 120 mostly.
  3. Honda is well known brand: I said, I agree this but Maruti is not bad brand.
Now, she doesn't have anything more to convince me, she had to end the conversation....

When I asked same person a week back to know if they will reduce price of NHC, she answered "No way Sir"...That time her voice was so confident, but in latest conversation, her voice was almost down when I compared with SX4.

I hope Honda should come up with good safety/other features with reasonable VFM..
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Old 17th May 2007, 15:05   #30
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Eraser View Post
With Honda u are assured of a good quality product ... and thats the reason for a premium on their product ...

So many goodys on SX4 make me suspect what flaws are they trying to hide ...
Have you owned a Honda? Well, I have, and after 40000 km I fail to see a difference between the Baleno and the OHC. Wait, the Baleno is slightly cheaper to buy and run. That's it. If you think ANYTHING justifies a premium, when their product is outclassed by a rival, you deserve to pay that premium.
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