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Old 12th December 2008, 22:25   #271
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Chaabi mein gaddi offer has done no good for Mahindra. They invited many just for TD with is offer. Even I got a "Chaabi" but could not go to try my luck.
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Old 8th October 2009, 17:32   #272
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What is the future for Logan Customers?

As per yesterday's ET article, Renault's alliance with M&M may be on rocks; Bajaj has branding woes- Automobiles-Auto-News By Industry-News-The Economic Times

So what are the options for Logan customers if the JV winds up?
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Old 8th October 2009, 17:37   #273
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For Renault, Indian market is a huge one and they are infact selling descent number of Logans. I am sure these guys will derive some solution to their issues.
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Old 8th October 2009, 17:40   #274
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Originally Posted by contactme27 View Post
For Renault, Indian market is a huge one and they are infact selling descent number of Logans. I am sure these guys will derive some solution to their issues.
I hardly see Logan's now day. I drive around 100KM daily that too within city and have never spotted more than 10 Logans in a day.

They need to reduce their prices, if they want sales back.
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Old 8th October 2009, 17:44   #275
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in Hyderabad, there are in descent number operating as Airport TAXIs.
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Old 8th October 2009, 17:48   #276
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I hardly see Logan's now day. I drive around 100KM daily that too within city and have never spotted more than 10 Logans in a day.

They need to reduce their prices, if they want sales back.
Bhai, come to bangalore, every Meru is a logan and there are 100's of em .. Its the same old indica story, as long as the taxi drivers run ogan you are not in trouble. You will have support.
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Old 8th October 2009, 17:58   #277
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If the JV goes off the Logan customers will surely be taken by Mahindra as for service support. The biggest reason to be concerned for Logan owners is resale value which already is amongst the worst in the segment already.

Offtopic: ET should hire better guys to write reviews on cars, for reference i read the Chevy Cruze review and the chap actually took the car offroad, he said Cruze felt better than BMW 5series off the road. Another example Why do prices of same model cars vary?- Auto-News By Industry-News-The Economic Times where they have mentioned Aveo comes with TCS and ESP and have even compared the prices.

Last edited by .anshuman : 8th October 2009 at 18:04.
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Old 8th October 2009, 18:01   #278
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But FYI - Meru etc are going after indigo XL CNG in delhi - NOT Logans. Despite logan having a factory fitted CNG (or suchlike) kit available!
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Old 8th October 2009, 18:15   #279
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I don't think there would be any major issues in the JV. They should just invest more and get a better looking car. Price the logan lower and with manual windows and sell it for 4 lacs which is do able. The taxi ops will buy it. The car is excellent in build and other things. Engines are good. The only thing is that it does not inspire. It does not look good. So target it completely at taxi segment with rural ads and support through Mahindra tractor division sales outlets.

I am sure Renault will not agree to that kind of positioning for the car cause they thing just because it sells in Paris, it will sell here also. But thats what they need to do, because taxi and rural segment do not think about the looks but only ease of repairs, cheap spares and space. This car can deliver in such a scenario. It is a good car after all.
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Old 8th October 2009, 19:41   #280
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Please note that the Logan is not an original Renault but a Dacia.The original TG for the car were the middle class of Eastern Europe who mostly had to make do with used cars. To keep the cost of the car low, Renault utilised extensive value engineering and utilised drive train components from the Clio which had already been ammortised and there was very minimal development cost.

As per the various ET reports the Logan sold only about 2k units in the HY'09 compared to 9k in HY'08. Logan sales have has been affected adversely because it attracts 20% excise duty due to its length compared to others which attract 8%. MM is peeved with Renault as they have refused to alter the length for 8% ED.if they didn't change the wiper sides and smaller tidbits for Indian market, chances are they will not do a major change like body shell and wheelbase. And that is a bad situation for the existing car who may find themselves in deep soup as and when MM walks out the door.

So the million dollar question is should someone buy the Logan at this moment. My answer would be to wait and watch!
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Old 8th October 2009, 20:59   #281
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A perfect example of how to ruin it even if you have a bestseller in your hands. The Logan is a best seller in the rest of the world. But not here.. not in this country.

To me the Mahindra - Renault JV was wrong from the beginning. Renault should have chosen someone who has some experience in manufacturing cars. Mahindra should have stuck to making UVs.

Renaut was overconfident from the beginning. They were under the impression that they have a best seller in their hands and it can not fail. What they didn't anticipate was that there are better value for money cars in this market. When they must have thought of launching it here, its prime competition would have been the Esteem, the Indigo and the Ikon. What they didn't expect was the Dzire which, when launched, totally killed whatever market there was for the Logan.

A member on an another forum who used to work for Mahindra tells, how in the pre-launch and testing days, Renault didn't listen to Mahindra's demands and was quite adamant on the amount of equipment (airbags, abs, power mirrors etc) they were providing. Again, their argument was that their product is a best seller around the world and whatever they are providing is more than necessary for this market. And that is the problem even today. Mahindra wants more participation in product development and Renault refuses to budge.

A member of the Romanian Logan forum told me that he would have got the top end 1.6 variant with twin airbags, ABS, etc etc in the same amount of money I spent on my basic 1.4 GLE variant.

Mahindra should have been more adamant on what they wanted from Renault. A few months later of the Logan launch in India, Dacia came out with the new interiors and a few more months later the new looking Logan. I refuse to beleive they didn't know it was coming. They could have opted atleast for the new interiors.. and some more equipment, to make it more upmarket and better value for money.

And whatever efforts Mahindra has taken till now, were all half hearted according to me. The marketing was shoddy and poor. the production quality of the first ad was very poor. And they chose the worst looking Sahara beige color for the ad. The second ad with Kunal Kohli was better. But still, a two wheeler maker comes out with better quality ads than what Mahindra Renault came out with. And the biggest blunder was the Xylo ad, where it comes crashing down on a sedan. What were they thinking!!?? It was like a Logan they were trying to kill!

The special editions they have come out go straight to the wild and wacky thread. While they come out with excellent looking customised Boleros, they launched an Orange coloured flashy Logan. And the most recent one was the gawdy red rims Play variant. Who wants a sportier looking Logan? Get real, an 85 bhp sedan can not be made sportier just by patching sticker on its sides! Why couldn't they have come up with a more elegant, classier looking version? They would have paid the same amount of money to the designer. Give Arush a chance and I am sure he will be able to come out with a design upgrade even better than the original.

I read an article recently about how Mahindra beleives that by reducing the length of the Logan will make them save bucks on excise duty and the Logan will be better value for money. I do not completely disagree with them, but in my opinion the price was not the only issue with the customers. Its the premium feel which the car is lacking. So, even if they reduce the price by say 50k, it will not be able to attract a Fiesta/ Aveo buyer! And I am not even including the premium hatchbacks.

What they are not understanding here is the major competition they thought of has changed. The esteem has died. The Dzire is here, beating them to death. The Manza will be here soon. And they still have a 2004 model in their hands! Which, due to many reasons they can not do anything about.

The Logan is a good car. It will die only because a lot of bad decisions were taken and nothing else.

What they can still do. Try to persuade Renault to give it a makeover and get the new interiors. Give it more kit. Reduce the length by shortening those bumpers and make it cheaper.

And if they still do not do anything, blame each other, this JV deserves to die.
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Old 8th October 2009, 21:03   #282
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Logan was a really good car, screwed up by Mahindra's service and the strange boxy looks of the car. The "cheap" tag associated with the car aggravated the falling sales.

If JV winds up then it will be tough for Logan owners, they would have to forget about resale value now but hope the JV doesnt break. The tension between Renault and Mahindra is growing day by day.
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Old 8th October 2009, 21:03   #283
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the car looks so boring. and with the introduction of these new hatches, the sales are dipping. they should have launched this model here in place of the car.



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Old 8th October 2009, 22:05   #284
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Still think the logan is a good car. The sad thing is a lot of people get to comment and trash without even knowing the car. It is boxy, yes, Looks isnt its usp. I like it, because i have driven it and know a lot of happy owners. If someone doesnt know the car i think they shouldnt trash it (or any car)for any fancy reason. Every car has a soul, a purpose, logan has one and the people who know cars know it. By now I can tell who have grown up with cars and who have had them for a few years! No offence!
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Old 8th October 2009, 22:14   #285
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Originally Posted by YaeJay View Post
Still think the logan is a good car. The sad thing is a lot of people get to comment and trash without even knowing the car. It is boxy, yes, Looks isnt its usp. I like it, because i have driven it and know a lot of happy owners. If someone doesnt know the car i think they shouldnt trash it (or any car)for any fancy reason. Every car has a soul, a purpose, logan has one and the people who know cars know it. By now I can tell who have grown up with cars and who have had them for a few years! No offence!
YaeJay,
I totally agree with you buddy.The logan is good car ,i havent driven one but i did had a chance to sit in one.The ride is smooth, the seats are comfortable with ample space at the back and the A/c is powerful.
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