[clevermax]

Spares should be made available to anyone who wants to buy them. Only problem which should be avoided is the intrusion of duplicates into the open spare parts market.

[vivprasad]

Originally Posted by clevermax

Spares should be made available to anyone who wants to buy them. Only problem which should be avoided is the intrusion of duplicates into the open spare parts market.

Exactly. One of the reasons why people many times prefer to go A.S.S. stations is that they are assured of genuine spares, in addition to factory trained technicians doing the job. I am hence of the view that instead of the open market, manufacturers should sell the spares across the counter at their dealerships. Assured of the genuineness of the spare, it would then be the choice of the owner to take the vehicle for repairs where he thinks is most appropriate.

[aaggoswami]

Why not ?
The spares must be available over the counter. The only reason why they are not available is because manufacturers and dealers want to make some quick money.

Even items like headlamp bulb are not sold over the counter. This is actually pathetic attitude just to make money. Arguments like quality job of installing that specific part are meaning less due as sometimes a good mechanic can work better than S.C. S.C. actually handle the cars so roughly that going to mechanic that you know makes more sense specially if its not a major work. And S.C. are not ultimate humans, they do make mistakes.

[anurag_p80]

Yes. Voted for it. There should be a choice, whether it is utilised or not is upto the customer. Ravvs, would it not be a Retrictive Trade Practice not to allow spares to be sold OTC? AFAIK, only MGP is available outside of their dealer network, and none of the other manufacturers allow that.

[WhiteKnight]

Originally Posted by clevermax

Only problem which should be avoided is the intrusion of duplicates into the open spare parts market.

This problem stems from non-availability of spares. Once genuine spares are available over the counter, duplicates are bound to suffer. They would still survive if they could be offered at a lower price point.

But then, it becomes an open-market where customer is the king

[beejay]

Yes, spares need to be made available OTC.

This will make life easier for many of us here. This is slowly giving way to a monopoly by the dealer. I am glad that many store in Coimbatore still have stocks of various manufacturers.

[JVH]

A few months ago Concorde Motors, Mysore road center were selling spares even if one did not get it repaired there. But now they have discontinued.

I agree with diffsoft's logic. There is another thread by GTO discussing on how service center's take you for a ride for clutch replacement.

Now that everyone will eventually vote for a yes, what can be done about it? It was easy earlier since there were not many players in the industry and there wasn't a well defined concept of A.S.C. The more the players entered, the more difficult the spares availability became. Really difficult to pinpoint when exactly this trend started.

How does Mr. Khattar gets the spares for his multibrand garage?

[geeash]

I wonder how many agree with me.

the ratio is 33:0 till now. no one had disagreed!!


May be we should take this topic to ARAI

[clevermax]

Originally Posted by WhiteKnight

This problem stems from non-availability of spares. Once genuine spares are available over the counter, duplicates are bound to suffer.

It is not only the non-availability which encourages duplicate parts, it is the cost of original parts in some cases. For example, taxi owners might prefer a duplicate part which is half the price of an original one, but the private car owners mostly will prefer to buy the genuine parts.

[McLaren Rulez]

Originally Posted by clevermax

It is not only the non-availability which encourages duplicate parts, it is the cost of original parts in some cases. For example, taxi owners might prefer a duplicate part which is half the price of an original one, but the private car owners mostly will prefer to buy the genuine parts.

True but how can a customer verify that it is indeed an original and not one that the independent dealer is passing off as an original. Some system needs to be devised but I'm sure it can be done.

[JediKnight]

My Santro's air filter needs to be changed So while coming back from office in the evening i dropped into a H.A.S.S asked them for an air filter. My car was not with me at that time. I wanted to buy the air filter, carry it home with me and then install it myself. But the H.A.S.S guys refused. They said that they cannot give a spare like this. I need to get the car and get it installed by them

This raises two questions.

1. From a philosophical point of view. Are H.A.S.S guys correct in not selling the spare to me. Are they not in a way restricting my freedom. Shouldn't i be allowed to do whatever i feel like doing with my car.

2. How do tuners/restorers or people who like to tinker with there cars get spares they need.

[kb100]

I think this issue is getting more relavant as time goes by.

1. We cannot be denied the freedom to choose where we get our car serviced - esp post warranty.

2. Manufacturers cannot DENY us access to original parts under ANY pretext! I am very tempted to file a suit next time I am faced with this situation!

3. ON the very odd occasions that they do, Manufacturers cannot insist on selling parts clubbed with labour (Hyundai does) even if you are installing the part yourself! (happened in the case of a broken wheel bolt in my case - no way I could have driven the car over on three wheels!)

4. We must encourage third party vendors. Lets find out who can get us parts directly from the OEM manufacturers/vendors!

JAAG UTHO GRAAHAK! - AWAKE & ARISE CONSUMERS!

[shahsingh]

Honda, Hyundai, Volkswagen come under CCI scanner

Finally the CCI (Competitive Commission of India) is investigating anticompetitive practices of car manufacturers that don't sell their parts outside of their dealership networks and force car owners to pay high prices for car maintenance.


Honda, Hyundai, Volkswagen come under CCI scanner - The Economic Times


This is hopefully a first step towards having the "right to repair" act here in India, similar to that in Europe, that will ensure free competition, choice to car owners, lower costs and greater level of service.

[shahsingh]

Finally the CCI (Competitive Commission of India) is investigating anticompetitive practices of car manufacturers that don't sell their parts outside of their dealership networks and force car owners to pay high prices for car maintenance.


Honda, Hyundai, Volkswagen come under CCI scanner - The Economic Times


This is hopefully a first step towards having the "right to repair" act here in India, similar to that in Europe, that will ensure free competition, choice to car owners, lower costs and greater level of service.

[akhilesh51]

Originally Posted by greenhorn

i dont think the tata ASC's themselves sell spares over the counter. I avoid them like the plague. There is a genuine tata spares only shop

Tata does sell parts through their dealer/service centre network too. They have specific rules, though. Reason Tata has such an open policy is down to one simple belief - The car should run on genuines.

The thing is even if OEMs do not provide spares on OTC basis, One can still source spurious parts from local market which in itself is a risk as OEM would not benefit since customer has gone to local mechanic and further the very same car will be exposed to further trouble due to spurious part which harms brand image of vehicle.

With Tata policy, They stand to profit atleast through sale of spares if not both sales and service and additionally, customer has the satisfaction of knowing the vehicle can be repaired anywhere without worrying about spurious parts.

Originally Posted by shahsingh

[b][u]
Finally the CCI (Competitive Commission of India) is investigating anticompetitive practices of car manufacturers that don't sell their parts outside of their dealership networks and force car owners to pay high prices for car maintenance.

It is not as easy as one may think. As a manufacturer or supplier, one has the right to control what he sells and through which channels he sells. Not just automobiles, if you buy a mac or an iPhone you have to approach their service stations or rely on spurious parts.

So legally, these companies are safe and there is little government can do. It is independent bodies like SIAM to come up an take the initiative.