[somebodystopme]

Originally Posted by absynthguzzler

Funnily enough , as much as we ( and I ) put down such sales gimmicks as merely cosmetic, i was amazed how these tactics get buyers!

my cousin is one girl that loves music to the core and is listening to it 24/7.She was hell bent on the Spark Music purely cause of the branding and no amount of coaxing from my end could alter her choice.she reasoned out saying a lot of us would be delighted if the Car can be kept stock from day 1. If i get a car that satisfies my ego with the naming and also satisfies my requirements, then why should i pay outside and get something done that is not OEM.

To a certain extent, what she says is true.Cause most of us choose cars on 1 or 2 factors that we look out for and the rest is aftermarket. If a manufacturer covers these points ( in her case a music system and branding it so ), then all of us would be content with what we have bought(one without any aftermarket fitments).The same applies to cosmetic changes as well, I would any day prefer OEM ahead of mods done outside.

We cant counter this argument, cause all of us will be cribbing on seeking performance related promotions but a lot of people are out there whose "feel good factor" is more visual (and not technical).

I beg to disagree with you here. The potential of aftermarket is much more than an OEM can ever offer. I have a friend, who buys car and nd instead of temple takes it straight to ICE installer and puts in Pioneer touchscreen as well as Amazing Sound stage to go with it. To fanatics like him No matter what OEM provides is a waste. And the capability of Aftermarket is HUGE. Thats why these days Soud stage designers are cropping up who charge as much as 20K Fee just to set a sound stage (this doesnt include any product). To a true music enthusiast no matter what they put in it'll be Crap.. Thats why I always prefer cars without any ICE on board.

[vineethvazhayil]

Originally Posted by Technocrat

Ritz hasn't started on a very positive note.

I don't know the basis of that statement! Their entire production schedule for the next 2-3 months is already booked! I don't know if it is another marketing trick, or its just poor demand forecasting from Maruti. I don't know of any other car amongst the recent launches that has so much advance bookings!

[amitk2kin]

make hay while the sun shines, that's what they are doing. I am sure there will be many takes for this modle too

[Technocrat]

No, I am sorry it was just an assumption based on the number of cars that I have seen on the road since the launch a month ago.

[Mpower]

Anybody have pictures of the new beige interiors? IMO, something is better than nothing...the Swift was getting too familiar and common. Plus Maruti is feeling the heat from the newcomers.

Originally Posted by somebodystopme

I beg to disagree with you here. The potential of aftermarket is much more than an OEM can ever offer. I have a friend, who buys car and nd instead of temple takes it straight to ICE installer and puts in Pioneer touchscreen as well as Amazing Sound stage to go with it. To fanatics like him No matter what OEM provides is a waste. And the capability of Aftermarket is HUGE. Thats why these days Soud stage designers are cropping up who charge as much as 20K Fee just to set a sound stage (this doesnt include any product). To a true music enthusiast no matter what they put in it'll be Crap.. Thats why I always prefer cars without any ICE on board.

Sadly you are wrong. Most regular citizens prefer the assurance of factory fitted and warrantied parts..weather its a CNG kit or a music system.

[mustang89]

i second mpower on the aftermarket thing.its just a bunch of teambhp guys like us who know the vast possibilities offered by the aftermarket.for hordes of people,touching the stock car is like getting into problems.like whenever i ask for money to get some stuff done the first question my dad fires is if its so important why didnt the company introduce it.

so people who are looking for sth different are surely gonna be attracted to it because it is factory fitted not aftermarket stuff.

[.anshuman]

@ MSIL - 1.Before making interiors dual tone or triple tone atleast bolt it together properly so that it doesnt rattle with slightest abuse.
2.For safety sake please give us better quality rubber(if not wider) not another set of wheelcovers.

In india sport variant is not gt or rs variant,its a variant with some cheap stickers and different wheels cover and oh yes with the same skinny tires.

[k_ajay]

Originally Posted by aaggoswami

Typically, Maruti has responded to competition with price cuts. It would be happy to do the same with Swift too. But here its the stock clearance that I suppose. Moreover they have some competition from its own stablemate, Ritz, so just a little bit effort to show swift has is a bit different than Ritz.

The only car that comes close to " perfect hatch " definition ( IMHO ) is not to be easily ruffled by GP so easily.

Perfect Hatch? What, with those super spacious rear seats and numerous rattling issues? You've got to be kidding yourself.

Whether the assumed 'perfect hatch' is ruffled by GP or not, is something we all will wait to see. It's too early to comment now, but if this is no stock clearance, then we know whose getting ruffled

[ghostrider]

Originally Posted by theEnd

Thats a useless comparison.

I could also soup-up an autorickshaw with all that stuff, but that still wont make it a good car!

There's a reason why Indicas are cheaper than Swifts. Same reason why a Logan is cheaper than a Honda City, and a Lexus is cheaper than a BMW.

While I completely agree with your assessment about why it's a useless comparison, you're way off on the Lexus versus Beemer example.

Indicas aren't as good as Swifts because:
(a) Lower brand value
(b) Poorer quality materials
(c) Lower levels of refinement and quality
(d) Lower levels of reliability and after sales
(e) Overall.... a less satisfactory ownership experience.

It's almost the exact opposite with Lexus and Beemer. The quality levels on a Lexus are off the charts, to be honest. Wayyy ahead off Beemer and Merc. I've known Lexus owners who've driven more than 100,000 miles without even a light bulb going bad. Top Gear themselves say that the beauty about a Lexus is that nothing will go wrong.

Also, did you know that the attention to detail in a Lexus will make a Merc or a Beemer go red with embarrassment? Even the glass in the windows is specially formulated for maximum soundproofing.

And finally, there's more than one Lexus that is more expensive than it's Beemer counterpart. The Lexus ISF is more expensive than it's direct rival from BMW, the M3.

[shankar.balan]

having appreciated all these points, "the Lexus is still a car that you will buy with your head, not your heart" - to quote Jeremy Clarkson in an episode of Top Gear aired sometime in 1993-1994.

Originally Posted by ghostrider

Top Gear themselves say that the beauty about a Lexus is that nothing will go wrong.

Also, did you know that the attention to detail in a Lexus will make a Merc or a Beemer go red with embarrassment? Even the glass in the windows is specially formulated for maximum soundproofing.

And finally, there's more than one Lexus that is more expensive than it's Beemer counterpart. The Lexus ISF is more expensive than it's direct rival from BMW, the M3.

[ghostrider]

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

having appreciated all these points, "the Lexus is still a car that you will buy with your head, not your heart" - to quote Jeremy Clarkson in an episode of Top Gear aired sometime in 1993-1994.

I totally agree with you (and Clarkson).
I was just disagreeing with theEND's cite of why Lexus's are cheaper than Beemers.

If it was my money, the cheaper M3 would be in my drive, not the more expensive ISF.

[ac 427]

Originally Posted by SumitB

Another case of a company taking us for a ride. Bunch load of idiots running this company!

Dude watch what you say, you are talking about a company that revolutionzed the way we see cars. Not for the 800 we would have still been in tin cans. We are talking about a company that for almost all the time it has existed has had around 50% market share of the car industry. A Bunch load of Idiots running a company would not be able to do that...what do you reckon.

Originally Posted by arin_12

MSIL, how many more year you will take Indian customer as granted. Wake up and introduce some real good product. Suzuki, dont think that u will earn all your profit from Indian Customer.

The Maruti 800, the esteem, the baleno, the swift, the sx4, the gypsy, the grand vitara, the zen (new one agreed is not that great) have all be legendary, what are you talking about here ? IMHO maruti makes the best VFM cars. Their after sales is legendary, their customer management is good. When have they taken us for granted ?

Originally Posted by Ramsagar

These are the Nasty ideas from Jagdish kattar.
providing the skirts will be the right add-on.

Mr Kattar quit long time back.


Whats up with all the negativities around ??? The car is 20 grand more expensive, as it gives goodies too around the same value approx.

cheers,
ac

[rajneeesh]

Originally Posted by theEnd

Mostly rubbish. They need to get the real Swift Sport (1.6) or the SX4 hatchback if they want to retake the top end of the hatch market.

I wouldn't mind the one piece key fob for my Swift though.

When did they ever lose leadership of that segment? There may be more expensive and bigger cars available in the B+ segment, but it is the Swift that is the unchallanged No.1.

[NevGin]

How about MUIL starting a performance parts and modifications unit. Since it was the first to have revolutionized the car industry in India, why not follow-up with a performance division. We have some super talented engineers & designers.

Cosmetic mods in India, especially in Bombay would only add to the scratches and blemishes on the car.

[rajneeesh]

Originally Posted by theEnd

Mostly rubbish. They need to get the real Swift Sport (1.6) or the SX4 hatchback if they want to retake the top end of the hatch market.

I wouldn't mind the one piece key fob for my Swift though.

Originally Posted by manish7

I think MUL would do better if they just introduce Swift & Ritz ZDI priced around 30k lesser than GP. Swift VDI-ABS costs 5.81L OTR Pune and GP costs 6.83 OTR. So the difference is more than a lac. Maruti already has ZXI available, so if they just come up with ZDI, there would be lot of buyers there given excellent network and availability of cheap spares that Maruti enjoys. Not introducing ZDI in Ritz was/is a mistake IMHO. Maybe June/July GP sales might force them to consider their decision.

Manish,

There are not too many takers for the Swift ZXI or for that matter the Swift Dzire ZDI. That is the the reason Marjuti has not launched the Sxwitft ZDI or the Ritz VDI. If there is a big enough market , MSIL will definitely have a variant to cater to it.

The number of enthusiasts who are willing to pay 50 K extra for performance and safety is very limited ( although growing). That was the reason that even the Honda city did not offer ABS and Airbags in the earlier gen City. It was only when the SX4 was launched, that Honda introduced them. It is interesting to note that the Honda City does not offer Alloy wheels as standard in any variant even today.

Though we may thin otherwise, the aoto companies are pretty much aware as to what the customer is willing to pay for. Another reson for FIAT not launching powerful ( read fuel guzzling engines in lay man speak) even though every other member of the forum is shouting himself hoarse for such an option.