[harry10]

Without reading anyone's reply here is my perception -

Audi : Good looking designs,really nice interiors,fun to drive, overpriced imo

BMW : Fun to drive,excellent diesels,upmarket brand image,not that comfortable back seats,my dream to own one someday!

Chevrolet :good service packages,powerful diesel in magnum,vfm hatch in spark,trying to rebuild the brand but will take sometime,needs to introduce more vfm models.

Fiat :strong build,VFM,excellent ride+handling,pleasure to drive,suspected A.S.S+availability of parts,need to have independent dealer network to gain more customer faith.

Ford :good to drive diesels and fun to drive petrol,nice handling,boring designs.

HM :nothing great in years which can be talked about.

Honda :Reliable,good a.s.s,excellent petrol engines,must try diesel as well in india, overpriced at times,lack of features as per price.

Hyundai :fun to drive diesels,not that good in handling,good a.s.s

Mahindra:rough and tough vehicles.

Maruti :have numerous choices for a common man,very good a.s.s,cheap to maintain,interiors are a tad boring,lack of features as per price.

Skoda : VFM in terms of features as per price,good to drive,shoddy a.s.s, attitude of management needs a change, not a customer friendly company.

Tata :Pure VFM,space is unbeatable,quality needs improvement and so does a.s.s,future of indian automobile in international arena imo.

Toyota :very reliable,tad boring to drive,excellent engines,nice interiors.

[sandygordon]

Audi : Class, My favorite

BMW : I HATE BANGLE

Chevrolet : DUPLICATE

Fiat : GOOD BUT A$$ $UCKS

Ford :YUCK

HM :hmm....

Honda :EXPENSIVE, NOT VFM

Hyundai :VFM BUT BORING

Mahindra:WHO S THAT ?

Maini :GOOD FOR THE PLANET BAD FOR THE POCKET

Maruti :VFM... UBIQUITOUS

Mercedes :GOOD NOT AS GOOD AS AUDI

Skoda :GOOD AS A DOWRY CAR.... THE GUY LL SELL IT SOON...

Tata :TATA... Why make cars dear...?

Toyota :bland and vfm

VW :solid and poor a$$

[lamborghini]

I am seeing a few trends here, anyone else?
Ford - Amazing to drive, hard to maintain
Fiat - Good cars, everything else not so great
Tata - Rubbish, but VFM

and so on.

Anyone else noticing these? Anyone feel some of these trends are more to do with rumors than fact? I do.

[AirWind]

FIAT - Poor resale, poor mileage (petrol)
FORD - Poor resale, poor mileage (petrol)
Mitsubishi - Poor resale
Hyundai - no snob value (Sonata)
Honda - excellent resale, excellent mileage

[khan75]

Without reading the rest of the posts, here is my response:

Audi : The best and most subtle designs on the market, best interiors barring exotics, VFM when it comes to comparable products (MB, BMW etc.)

BMW : The car to drive all day long, all their cars look slightly dated and weird.

Chevrolet: Mismatch of product lines, at one end it has Korean products while it tries to be big, brash and muscular at the other. Good VFM though.

Fiat: The cars with a heart. Probably the closest most Indians will get to driving something with a bit of Alfa magic. Reliability is a so-so.

Ford: Reliable but boring and dated designs

HM: I can haz cheeseburger?

Honda: The Toyota of the Indian market. Very reliable, long term cars, not too expensive.

Hyundai: The Toyota of the Indian market. Very reliable, probably the best brand overall in India.

Mahindra: Tries to play with the bigger players but falls flat on its face when it comes to the nitty-gritties.

Maruti : The common man's car, not a lot going for it these days besides a couple of models, most designs are quite ugly.

Mercedes : The best cars to ride at the back, driving these is quite challenging in metros

Mitsubishi : Fun to drive, need newer cars and designs

Nissan : Very reliable, long term A.S.S. is still to be seen.

Skoda : Excellent VFM, decent drivability, shoddy A.S.S.

Tata : Great for diesels, designs are beginning to go down the wrong path

Toyota : Very reliable but very boring interiors, certainly not a drivers car

VW : Solid cars but quite expensive when compared with its position in the global hierarchy.

[//M]

AUDI - exciting, fast and great engines but not as involving as a BMW.

BENTLEY - class personified, exquisite.

BMW - thrilling, fun-to-drive, superb engines, great blend of performance and economy. my favourite.

FIAT - great looking cars with good value but sadly poor aftersales history.

FORD - solid, good handling and great engines.

HONDA - least VFM but great looking cars.

HYUNDAI - easy maintenance and VFM cars.

JAGUAR - effortless styling and amazing interiors.

LAMBORGHINI - hypercars. fast, brutally sexy and menacing.

LAND ROVERS - superb interiors and build. great engines too.

MAHINDRA - indigenous, robust and aggressive looking VFM cars.

MARUTI - easy to maintain, VFM cars but not as polished as rivals.

MERCEDES BENZ - great engine and interiors, nice build but not as good as BMWs.

MITSUBISHI - proven rally heritage. great cars with superb handling.

NISSAN - fabulous engines and reliable.

PORSCHE - great looking, amazing, nice interiors and pure roadsters.

ROLLS ROYCE - epitome of luxury. airline comfort and awesome presence.

SKODA - nice build quality and economy but poor aftersales.

TATA - highly spacious, comfortable and VFM cars but unexciting to drive.

TOYOTA - reliable, near-flawless in most aspects.

VOLKSWAGEN - people's car. great build and nice engines.

VOLVO - superb build quality, features and excellent value. unexciting though.

[gomzi]

Originally Posted by lamborghini

Anyone else noticing these? Anyone feel some of these trends are more to do with rumors than fact? I do.

Perceptions about something are as much to do with rumors as facts. A persons perception of a product does not depend on whether they have experienced it themselves, they might have. Facts are just a factor in determining perception.

Perceptions depend on what a person thinks about a product and this can be affected by myriad factors such the advertisements, sales figures, style, whether a person you like/dislike owns it, your current state/stage in life, financial situation, whether your spouse/partner likes it or not etc etc.

e.g when people perceive that a car is less fuel efficient, it could be based on fact (the car guzzles fuel) or on a faulty odometer or on heresay.

Atleast thats my perception of perception

Feel free to correct if i'm wrong.

[Somu2009]

Audi : Great cars, but didn't capture Indian market like it should have done.

BMW : Great handling robust cars. For the youth in every person of any age.

Chevrolet : Still feel that they need to bring out true chevrolet cars, not the daewoo models with their badge.

Fiat : Very well built cars and extremely safe. Just wish that they come close to maruti and toyota in terms of marketing and service.

Ford : Good cars, but don't like the after sales service and the cost of spares too. Especially considering that they have been in India for so many years now.

HM : Sarkaari Baabu ki Gaadi

Honda : Love the brand and the cars and the engines and, well the list goes on, but won't buy one because of the dealer network.

Hyundai : Good cheap cars but are not built to last.

Maruti : Value for money cars for the common man

Mercedes : The best money can buy IMO.

Mitsubishi : Wish they launch their cars at the right time in India along with the international market and price them right.

Nissan : Great brand but can do well if they launch models that everyone can afford to buy. Hopefully their upcoming small car will do wonders.

Skoda : Its like a printer, will work well, come cheap but if the printer costs 5000 then the toner will cost 4900 . Value for money cars only to buy not to maintain.

Tata : Aam aadmi ki aam gaadi. No matter how the cars are but they are value for money for sure.

Toyota : Great brand worldwide and in India, great service and reliable cars. But please do something about the pricing of Camry. It doesn't feel like its good VFM when compared with other toyota products such as the corolla and Fortuner.

[ambivalent_98]

Audi : Good looking cars and great performers. Wish I could own one as they are way over my budget but some day, I will buy an R8

BMW : Bavarian beauties in India.

Chevrolet : Thakela US brand. Cruze is going to change this I'm sure

Fiat : I remember the Premier Padmini when one says Fiat. Well with the new lineup and smart tie up with Tata they should improve Tata. Good cars though.

Ford : American brand. Ok cars. No newsmakers so far.

HM : The fat and very adorable Amby is the only car which comes to mind. A very comfy ride , though rarely seen except in government convoys. The Contessa was an attempt to get the trendy look. Karnataka government owned quite a few. I wonder what became of those.

Honda : I own one. I love this brand. Though cars are expensive they are reliable. A great fan.

Hyundai : A good brand. Has improved a lot over time. I used to own a Santro Xing. Magnificent little car. Absolutely loved it.

Mahindra: Lousy brand with weird designs. Logan not well marketed. I don't like the Scorpio though it has sold a lot. The other "Jeep" designs were lousy too.

Maini : Reva looks pathetic. Could have made the exteriors good looking .

Maruti : I used to own an Alto. Brand for the average Indian, but I don't very much like the lineup. I am anxiously waiting to see the Kizashi. Could be a game changer.

Mercedes : Very expensive cars. Great lookers and lotsa innovation in them.

Mitsubishi : Lancer , Lancer and Lancer. Nowadays Montero , Pajero as well.

Nissan : Expensive cars and few showrooms.

Skoda : Good cars , made in Aurangabad expensive a bit but good diesels.

Tata : A good truck maker, but evolved the Indica brand admirably. Still loads to learn on all fronts, hopefully Fiat will teach them.

Toyota : Global brand , expensive cars. But I don't feel like buying an Altis even though I have the budget. It just does have that appeal. (Maybe its just my perception)

VW : Reading lots of reviews Passat is way to expensive and Jetta is good but just like Toyota I wonder if that will be worth the money I put in. Jetta and Laura have lots in common within though the shells are different.

[vivprasad]

Chevrolet : Great company background, but balloon got deflated somewhat. Cars average, especially Korean origins.

Fiat : Strong, sturdy, sophisticated on the engine front, after sales service pitiable, lot of Fiat owners have steadily moved away from the brand. Its unfortunate since the cars are very good.

Ford : Great to drive, but high on maintenance. Also, slight perception of frequent breakdown.

HM : Good only for the Government!

Honda : Excellent cars, excellent drivability, very sophisticated, high on maintenance, heavily overpriced, caters to snob value to an extent

Hyundai : Lower end models excellent, upper end not the best. After sales service good, free door pickup and drop extremely welcome. Repairs expensive

Mahindra: Not a family vehicle

Maruti : Everything about it is right. Car quality, price, maintenance, reliability. Everything.

Skoda : Don't know. The thread on Skoda antics with customers has altered perception completely

Tata : Brings to mind trucks only. The brand association with trucks is so strong.

Toyota : Comments same for Honda, albeit on a higher scale

Don't want to comment on Audi, BMW and Mercedes. These are brands I would love to have, but may never be able to

[thewhiteknight]

I have compiled all the comments till 05/11: 1945 into the attached sheet. Hopefully this will help in analysis of the general trend towards each car maker. I have also added any disclaimers/caveats and additional comments which might help in deciphering a comment about a carmaker.

Unless most people find this sheet rather pointless, I will do this everyday, till such time that this thread is reasonably active, and upload the file every evening or every alternate evening.

Let me know if changes/additions need to be made and i will make it in the daily upload.

GTO: Being the thread starter, I need your opinion on this sheet. will it help provide more clarity to the inherent intention of the thread? also, let me know if there are additions /changes that can general improve the sheet and the analysis.

PS: I reckon this is my first post; doesnt feel like it tho, i've been been visiting this forum for a while now.

[azeemhafiz]

Audi : Unsure - No outright performance like Beemers and not as comfortable as Merc

BMW : The ultimate driving machine, would trade my soul to own one.

Chevrolet : Korean, would be safe to term me as a racist car enthusiast. Owned by American company now. Has no clue what a car should be

Fiat : Buy it with your heart and not your head.. pure magic

Honda : Extremely refined and doubly overpriced in India

Hyundai : Korean!! Not a big fan

Maruti : Excellent after sales, constant rattles due to poor build quality can lead to cancer or tumour

Mercedes : for the boring people, all show and no go

Skoda : The worst after sales service. Maintainence high enough to own a BMW within 3 years of ownership

Toyota : A car that assures you that your Grandchildren would include in their will

VW: Owns Skoda, so looses respect

[svsantosh]

Audi : Love the engines, 4rings and QUATTRO!!!

BMW : Love the logo, Was more popular than Merc at a time b4 it came into India, AMAZING Kidney shaped Grill. Miss them!!

Chevrolet : Would su*k in this country to Keep the Brand Alive. This place is the last hope in the world for the company to earn moolah.

Fiat : Well, a old timer. build tanks, think they never need A.$.$. Very poor...

Ford : Well, they did put my Chennai on world map, Stuck to Ikon like a kid's tongue on Snow, must have moved faster. HUGELY Priced Spares.

HM : Well, what can you say. All my childhood vacations were spent on these Taxi's. Love them for a joy ride. Would Die rather than own this Egg.
Anywhere, anytime roadside mech available.

Honda : One of the most underrated carmaker (not Cars) In this country. Superb VFM, would outclass any other maker any day. Others Just dont stand a chance in terms of Quality here.

Hyundai : Well, low FE compared to Maruti. But proved wrong after many years. Did show maruti that they arent alone at the top of the charts. Learnt India sooner than Maruti.

Mahindra: Rugged, Lemme' Have it type. No Nonsense, but would love some extra luxury.

Maini : Illegal to drive these match boxes around. Would need to shoot at someone to price these 'whatevers' so ridiculously.

Maruti : Well, from a Soda TIN Can maker, to the chart topper. Watch out old timer', innovate or perish. F.E, VFM, anywhere, anytime, no breakdown at all.

Mercedes : Benz car, drool. Tank's, filmy ishtyle. Low on maintenance compared to 4rings and beemer. Loved the squared Gen looks than current.

Mitsubishi : If only you knew what HM sold before you joined hands with them, what a waste of the EVO brand image in the hands of Amby!!! Luxury cars made affordable in the 2nd hand mkt.

Skoda : Cheaters, Bad company to buy from, absolute no-no.

Tata : Mere Bharat Mahaan. 1st car made in India, By India. Offers Merc sized Interior room, reliable diesel motor. DUD to drive around. but love it..!!

Toyota : Well, you are the future #1 hero. You did fool of us with the Qualis Contraption, but Innova'ted away into a Fort'ress!! Keep doing good things...

[meghan]

Nice thread! Here are my comments without reading anyone else's

Audi : Great designs, nice engines, reliability issues

BMW : Great to drive, ride quality not that good

Chevrolet : mainly Daewoo cars, uninspiring and not a single market leader

Fiat : have a huge enthusiast following!, well built (my Uno used to be),

Ford : Average cars, good looks

HM : Do they still exist?

Honda : Too expensive, great engines and japanese reliability

Hyundai : VFM, almost up there with the japs in reliability

Mahindra: only for 4x4 lovers, scorpio - bullying tanks on roads

Maini : great effort for an electric car

Maruti : VFM, VFM, VFM

Mercedes : ride quality, conservative designs(C,E,S), not exclusive any more

Mitsubishi : haven't done anything right in India yet

Nissan : -

Skoda : bad publicity due to ***, well built cars

Tata : Good cheap cars, way to go with many firsts for an Indian company

Toyota : Reliability

VW :

[Ram_NP]

Originally Posted by thewhiteknight

I have compiled all the comments till 05/11: 1945 into the attached sheet. Hopefully this will help in analysis of the general trend towards each car maker.

Good work Whiteknight . The excel sheet gives good insight into members views about the brands in one sheet.


Must have spent lot of time in editing (Ctrl+C, Ctrl+V).