[prashant316]

Originally Posted by sandeepmohan

On a recent extended test drive of the Hyundai Verna petrol, I had complained to the salesman that the car was feeling very unsafe as speeds build up. The saleman's reply was epic. No sir, customers have reported the car is very stable at high speeds and as high as 140kmph. The fluidic design contributes towards the stability of this car. As the saleman was a very nice man, I Thanked him for the extended test drive and said that the car was not for me.

The salesman was just trying to lure you. Hats off to him for trying this. I can bet most customers would have fallen for that

But yes Verna does get unstable at high speeds primarily due to the nature of its suspension set up. The fluidic design has nothing to do with it. Other common cars that suffer from this problem are i20 and Dzire.

[arup.misra]

This is more of a flashback. When I was evaluating my next car - Honda City, the sales rep. was just doing his job. Seemed informed not too much but didn't throw things at you that he'd didn't know. During the extended series of test drives he asked me if I was a part of t-bhp. To my affirmative reply, he said, "Saar, if you have any technical questions I can make you speak with my service head, as your questions would be far out of reach for a humble sales guy like me". I appreciated his honestly and went ahead with the deal.

During the PDI he accompanied me to the stock yard and even asked if he could keep a copy of the PDI sheet so that he can equip himself better.

Atleast not all sales are as bad.

[sandeepmohan]

Originally Posted by prashant316

But yes Verna does get unstable at high speeds primarily due to the nature of its suspension set up. The fluidic design has nothing to do with it.

I knew this about Hyundai but this was a really scary experience. We had a full payload, Thanks to the Hyundai folk who got their sales rep, finance guy and driver so it was 5 of us including my colleague and good friend. I never even hit the ton and it already started to feel disconnected from the road. I do not know what people love about this car so much to make it the segment best seller. This will be the biggest unsolved mystery.

[prashant316]

Originally Posted by sandeepmohan

I knew this about Hyundai but this was a really scary experience. We had a full payload, Thanks to the Hyundai folk who got their sales rep, finance guy and driver so it was 5 of us including my colleague and good friend. I never even hit the ton and it already started to feel disconnected from the road. I do not know what people love about this car so much to make it the segment best seller. This will be the biggest unsolved mystery.

I personally am not a fan of this car either. I prefer a Vento, Rapid and Fiesta over it.

If you are saying the car was so unstable at under 100 with 5 people, there may be a chance that its tyres were over inflated.

In my experience, the car felt unstable only after 90 with 4 people on board.

[zoombiee]

Originally Posted by sandeepmohan

I knew this about Hyundai but this was a really scary experience. We had a full payload, Thanks to the Hyundai folk who got their sales rep, finance guy and driver so it was 5 of us including my colleague and good friend. I never even hit the ton and it already started to feel disconnected from the road. I do not know what people love about this car so much to make it the segment best seller. This will be the biggest unsolved mystery.

Its the offer of great mileage and the "specs on paper". No other car apart from the new Fiesta Diesel offers the same specs. I test drove this car recently and was happy when it was over.

[avingodb]

Last week, I went to a Maruti Showroom with a friend who bought Desire VXI. I thought I would bargain on his behalf for the anti-rust treatment. To my surprise, the agent said that Maruti Cars don't need anti-rust treatment because it is done by the company itself. Thus, I checked a couple of cars inside the showroom and there was no underbody coat there. When I asked the sales chap about this he said that I would not be able to tell because Maruti mixes anti-rust coat with the paint.

[zoombiee]

Originally Posted by avingodb

When I asked the sales chap about this he said that I would not be able to tell because Maruti mixes anti-rust coat with the paint.

Do Maruti cars come with painted underbodies? My SX4's underbody is defninitely not painted. Also, underbody paint costs 1.3k for 2 years at 3M. Not worth haggling for.

[Maverick0129]

Originally Posted by avingodb

Last week, I went to a Maruti Showroom with a friend who bought Desire VXI. I thought I would bargain on his behalf for the anti-rust treatment. To my surprise, the agent said that Maruti Cars don't need anti-rust treatment because it is done by the company itself. Thus, I checked a couple of cars inside the showroom and there was no underbody coat there. When I asked the sales chap about this he said that I would not be able to tell because Maruti mixes anti-rust coat with the paint.

Does Maruti Suzuki use galvanized steel in the frame/body panels? if they do, maybe he was referring to that?

[azeemhafiz]

Originally Posted by Maverick0129

Does Maruti Suzuki use galvanized steel in the frame/body panels? if they do, maybe he was referring to that?

Not sure if they changed Or updated the manufacturing process recently. My 6 year old Swift had rust from the second year and now I have changed 3 out of four doors due to rust, the 4th one is due now.

[snkjr]

When I test drove the Duster about a month back, I got chatting with the SM. I said I liked the vehicle and didn't really feel too much of turbo-lag though other people did. To which he said without losing a breath "it may be because of the pollen filter".

[zoombiee]

Originally Posted by Maverick0129

Does Maruti Suzuki use galvanized steel in the frame/body panels? if they do, maybe he was referring to that?

During my time at India's two biggest steel makers, I dont remember any Indian car maker ordering galvanized steel. The mostly ordered steel types are CRCA or CRFH which are post treated and are decetly resistant to oxidation.

[noopster]

Mod Note: Please stay on-topic.

[kbrtz125]

I dropped by the Ford showroom on Paud Road to check out the Figo. SA was ok with the car knowledge and explained several features correctly. I asked him why didnt the Figo has rear power windows. His reply was "Saar, Its a safety feature. You see Power windows dont work when there are floods like Mumbai. With Figo you can easliy open the rear windows n get out of the car". Not that this is entirely correct but I found the explanation amusing and may be valid in rare cases.

[prashant316]

Originally Posted by kbrtz125

I dropped by the Ford showroom on Paud Road to check out the Figo. SA was ok with the car knowledge and explained several features correctly. I asked him why didnt the Figo has rear power windows. His reply was "Saar, Its a safety feature. You see Power windows dont work when there are floods like Mumbai. With Figo you can easliy open the rear windows n get out of the car". Not that this is entirely correct but I found the explanation amusing and may be valid in rare cases.

In Delhi, i went to a ford showroom in dilshad garden where i encountered a similar experience.

When i asked the sa on why no power windows in the rear, his answer was that govt. is now banning power windows for rear passengers in all cars to be made from 2011 onwards . This is pertaining to a safety precaution being taken by the govt.

Needless to say, I walked out of the showroom and did not buy the ford thanks to this guys lies.

[apachelongbow]

Originally Posted by scopriobharath

I work in software industry and If i do not know something, I am expected to know/learn the same and respond. Heck I am given sufficient trainings and shadowings before I am allowed to face customer. If i mention something in-correct, my life will be screwed in the form of bad appraisals.

come on Bharath!, we both know it takes all kinds of folks in the software world. You may be one of the rare good ones, who understand their roles and what is expected of them. Most are here for Dollars and onsite visits.

I had to train one such four legged beast of burden who was a Phd in mining from IIT Mumbai, who couldnt open and work on a microsoft PPT. One more engineer who didnt know for god's love what a bubble sort is.

Point I am making is, it takes all kinds of people. In IT we train people well, pay them well so that they are atleast presentable to merciless international clients. Even then ask any IT HR, they say they sort and employ only 1% of all resumes.
Auto Sales firstly doesnt pay as well hence cant pick and choose as an IT company can. We have to admit the sharpest tools dont chose to be auto sales men generally, unless he/she is so passionate about choosing to work in automobile sales.

How many of us are willing to pay say extra 1-2% over existing vehicle prices, so that we have really well informed sales persons and expert after sales support?