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Old 2nd June 2009, 18:15   #301
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Originally Posted by mxx View Post
Because you can get more customers for Rs.300. Specially when you have competitors selling for Rs.300 or Rs.250, it makes sense if you continue to sell at 300.
Assuming a cost of say 200, competitors earn 100 per piece.

The one selling at 500 earns 300 per piece. Anything more than 1/3rd sale compared to the competitor gets it more profit.


A company would fear pricing its product too high, only if they fear that it won't sell at that price, that's not the case here.
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Old 2nd June 2009, 20:45   #302
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Honda is Honda. I've heard this everywhere and even see it in the resale figures expected of really old Hondas.

Except, as almost everyone here has noted, Honda doesn't offer much initially, but still prices their product out of reach of most Indians. I presume they want to preserve the premium feel the owner would get by not selling too many?

Anyway, that's their decision, and in my opinion, if I can't afford it, too bad. I'm quite sure there will be people buying the car for the "snob value". After sales service might be great too. I wouldn't know, never having owned a Honda.

As a hatch back buyer (read someone who doesn't have the money to go to the next segment), I put value for money first, and I'm quite sure there are a large number of people who feel the same. I don't think the Honda Jazz is that, in any sense of the term. Even if you throw in the resale, after sales service and "snob value". If one really has enough surplus money lying around, and wanted to buy a Jazz, one would probably only buy it if one were living in a city where traffic is an issue, and a smaller car is required. Otherwise, I think (and me being a small car buyer, this might not be applicable to all) as others have pointed out, it makes more sense to buy the ANHC.

The i20 is a really good looking car. A real Head Turner, in my opinion. That it is priced better, and has much more features where they matter the most for passengers, I think the decision is obvious. Who carves corners or burns the highway in a car with a 1.2L engine anyway?

My opinion.
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Old 3rd June 2009, 00:50   #303
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Honda Seil India posts 3.3% rise in sales Y-o-Y at 4073 units.So its looks like honda is going strong.
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Old 3rd June 2009, 09:36   #304
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Honda Seil India posts 3.3% rise in sales Y-o-Y at 4073 units.So its looks like honda is going strong.
The sales comprised 3,638 units of flagship City, 223 units of premium sedan Civic and 212 units of luxury sedan Accord, the company said in a statement

Where is Linea standing in sales compared to city , haven't seen much lineas in Bangalore roads of late.
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Old 3rd June 2009, 09:53   #305
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Cant say about YOY growth, but Civic and Accord sales look very poor. Let us wait for Altis & Superb petrol sales which will give a true indication of segment wise position. I am sure both Altis and Superb must have done better than Honda.

Though City is not facing any real competition despite the atrocious pricing, it will be interesting to look at Linea Sales vs. City Sales.
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Old 3rd June 2009, 09:53   #306
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Originally Posted by csnanjappa View Post
The sales comprised 3,638 units of flagship City, 223 units of premium sedan Civic and 212 units of luxury sedan Accord, the company said in a statement

Where is Linea standing in sales compared to city , haven't seen much lineas in Bangalore roads of late.
I would be keen to know Linea sales numbers as well. Do not see many of them in Delhi/Gurgaon either.
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Old 3rd June 2009, 09:58   #307
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Honda jazz to be launched this week

Hi guys,
Looks like Honda Jazz is going to be launched this week in GOA.Yesterday night we saw around 6 to 7 Jazz in different colours entering Panaji .All cars had UP 16 -- -- temporary registration nos.
cheers,

note:mods please merge this thread if it already exists.
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Old 3rd June 2009, 10:32   #308
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Quote:
Originally Posted by csnanjappa View Post
The sales comprised 3,638 units of flagship City, 223 units of premium sedan Civic and 212 units of luxury sedan Accord, the company said in a statement

Where is Linea standing in sales compared to city , haven't seen much lineas in Bangalore roads of late.
I still cannot believe that people buy the City in such a large numbers! May be I don't see the value proposition, and I should agree that Honda got its pricing right. Because it SELLS! (despite the 30K price increase since April 1st)

But, I am appalled to see the Civic numbers! Really low! I guess it was selling 2000+ units a month for almost couple of years since launch! Has the Civic lost its sheen? Accord's numbers also seem low.

My gut says Jazz will take the Fabia way (or worse) in terms of sales - Atleast the Skoda has got diesel. But for Skoda's A.S.S, I'd pickup a Fabia 1.4 TDI Elegance over Jazz anyday (despite numerous jokes on a 3 pot diesel, clatter etc).

Hatch buyers are usually the kind of guys who watch their purse (so far in India, IMHO) -So, even though we might find takers for ANHC at these price points, I believe there will be hardly any takers for Jazz if priced at these levels.

Even if a budget agnostic buyer wants a hatch, it doesn't have gadgets to impress the buyer - No alloys, ACC etc.

I hope I don't bite the dust this time.

PS:- I would REALLY like to know how many Accord V6s were sold - May be the website can display the owners' photos :-D - In Bangalore it costs around 31L
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Old 3rd June 2009, 10:40   #309
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Originally Posted by sriramv.iyer View Post
PS:- I would REALLY like to know how many Accord V6s were sold - May be the website can display the owners' photos :-D - In Bangalore it costs around 31L
I spoke to the sales guy who is responsible for V6 at Capital Honda in Chennai. Of the 4 cars that came to Chennai, 3 have been sold (including other dealers), and the last one is in the Capital Honda showroom.
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Old 3rd June 2009, 11:11   #310
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Quote:
Originally Posted by csnanjappa View Post
The sales comprised 3,638 units of flagship City, 223 units of premium sedan Civic and 212 units of luxury sedan Accord, the company said in a statement

Where is Linea standing in sales compared to city , haven't seen much lineas in Bangalore roads of late.
City seems to be doing fantastic despite the price hike. Honda should be really worried about Civic now - its just not selling. I am sure Altis is doing better this month. I guess why City & Accord is doing well is because there's no competition from the Japanese competitor. (Camry is priced way too high to be a competition)
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Old 3rd June 2009, 11:43   #311
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Quote:
Where is Linea standing in sales compared to city
Quote:
I would be keen to know Linea sales numbers as well.
Total Fiat sales are in the region of 1,17x units. I guess Linea did about 1,100 units and balance 70 odd units must be Palio.

Anyway, Linea was never expected to outsell City just as GP will never sell half as many Jazz's Honda sells.

Quote:
I still cannot believe that people buy the City in such a large numbers! May be I don't see the value proposition,
One of our business associates bought a new ANHC. I asked if he found it VFM. He said no. I asked him if he checked out the Linea. He said yes and that he was really impressed with the car and found it much better VFM then City and he also thought the car looked more expensive then it actually is. So why did he opt for the City I asked. He said "Fiat doesn't evoke the feeling of confidence in me." That is the biggest hinderance to Linea (and GP) sales and is also something that isn't going to be easy to fix. I don't see Linea doing more then 1000-1200 units in it's lifetime.

Civic sales at just 22x units is surprising. It's at it's lowest unit sales ever isnt it?

Last edited by amit : 3rd June 2009 at 11:45.
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Old 3rd June 2009, 12:39   #312
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One of our business associates bought a new ANHC. I asked if he found it VFM. He said no. I asked him if he checked out the Linea. He said yes and that he was really impressed with the car and found it much better VFM then City and he also thought the car looked more expensive then it actually is. So why did he opt for the City I asked. He said "Fiat doesn't evoke the feeling of confidence in me." That is the biggest hinderance to Linea (and GP) sales and is also something that isn't going to be easy to fix. I don't see Linea doing more then 1000-1200 units in it's lifetime.
Exactly.
Honda did a Maruti. When the 800 was launched, we had just the Padmini and the Ambassador. The little car easily beat these two dinosaurs at reliability, efficiency, performance, quality and A S S. The image it created about Maruti Suzuki was very strong. Maruti's follow up acts were pretty good too. Customers' confidence in Maruti became strong.
Honda did the same. The Opel Astra and Ford Escort which were similarly priced were no match for the City. The only company that challenged Honda was Mitsubishi - which has faded over the years because their products are comparatively outdated. Honda's A S S may no be too good today, but, their start was fantastic. That has given a lot of confidence to buyers.
I have an acquaintance who was looking to buy a small hatch sometime in 1997. The Zen and the Uno were the best products then. Since, he didn't want to touch Maruti (I don't know why, since he never owned one), he opted for the Uno. It was more comfy and tough compared to the Zen. The ride was nice and power was acceptable for city driving. Infact, I also liked it looks. The car however, had a million issues - brakes, suspension plastics, fittings, window winders, electricals - you name it. Incompetent A S S and relatively expensive spare parts complicated matters. The ownership experience was very poor and he has vowed never to touch Fiat again. He still hates Maruti, so he's moved on to Honda.
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Old 3rd June 2009, 13:30   #313
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Originally Posted by amit View Post
Total Fiat sales are in the region of 1,17x units. I guess Linea did about 1,100 units and balance 70 odd units must be Palio.

Civic sales at just 22x units is surprising. It's at it's lowest unit sales ever isnt it?
I guess ANHC is eating into civic sales , may be it should have been 1000 civics and equally less numbers of ANHC
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Old 3rd June 2009, 15:03   #314
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10th June launch

Posting a link from rediff homepage.It says jazz to be launched on 10th june.
Sneak peek: Honda Jazz to roll out on June 10 Rediff Stocks
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Old 4th June 2009, 10:33   #315
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I had a quick look at Jazz

Today, i dropped my ANHC for the first service
i also had an opportunity to have a quick peek at Jazz

some quick top of the mind recalls

1. Great looks, rear is like Palio weekend
2.looks like large storage space behind the rear seats
3. Rear wiper
4. Interiors were better looking than ANHC
5. Very good head lamp assembly, very clear glass
6. the steering wheel, gear assembly, tyres same as ANHC
7. black color fibre front grill with Honda logo
8. very large wind shield glass
9. no up/down driver seat adjustment
10. 1.2ltr engine
12. i think it comes with ABS, Airbags and RKE+Immobilizer

this premium hatch back is set to cost 8 lacs on road

i think Honda is going to create a new segment altogether
i wish them all the success
if they are successful it would be a new business case study
if they fail then also it would be a case study
anyway Honda would gain publicity and there is nothing called bad publicity.

Last edited by StarVegabond : 4th June 2009 at 10:35.
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