[4x4addict]

@GTO has a valid point.

Those who feel the Fortuner is expensive at 19 lakhs should consider the alternatives. Fordy Endy Auto at 19 and Pajero 2.8 at 21.

[Asifgrkhan]

Originally Posted by GTO

I'm sorry to say, but your post is nothing short of being ridiculous. Please consider the following points before making such sweeping statements:

1. Toyota had announced (IIRC in December) that prices of all its models will go higher by 2 - 3%. Rising cost of input. Some other manufacturers have also followed suit.

2. There is a concept known as "introductory pricing" which is followed by nearly EVERY manufacturer. Product is launched at a special price, only to be corrected a couple of months later.

3. The Fortuner has actually corrected the prices of its COMPETITORS. You probably should have used the "milking term" for when Mitsu sold a 15 year old platform (Pajero) for 22 lakhs (read = higher than the Fortuner). Or Chevy sold the Captiva also for about that amount. The day that the Fortuner was launched, everyone else scrambled and corrected their prices.

4. It's an open market. Neither is someone forcing you to buy the Fortuner, nor are you short of alternatives. If you feel Toyota is "milking you with the Fortuner's pricing", there's atleast 4 other SUV options in the same segment.

The fact is, Toyota could have priced the Fortuner much higher than 18.45 at the time of launch. It's older competition were placed at a higher price point. With a superior brand name & following, Toyota could have easily have gotten with it. However, they still priced it at 18.45 and shook up the 20 lakh SUV market.

Want to do hear some real criticism? This is one : Shame on Toyota to equip the Fortuner with rear drum brakes.

There is another angle to look at it. Right now I would assume that the Fortuner is CBU or SKD and not CKD and I would assume that is the reason for whatever it is priced at - a 50% premium to the higest spec Corolla Altis. At this high price, the Fortuner sells more than the rest of the category combined (Pajero SFX, Captiva, Endeavor, Grand Vitara). Just imagine the sales of the fortuner at a price band of 12 Lakhs to 14 Lakhs.

I was looking at the Toyota Indonesia website and noticed that the 2.5L innova is priced the same as the Corolla V AT. I am sure if Toyota was to indigenize production, it would be able to roll back prices. The Innova/Fortuner platform was conceived to produce low cost vehicles.

Check out the indonesia prices at
[FONT=Calibri][SIZE=3][COLOR=#800080]http://www.toyota.co.id/product/?page=product&model=Kijang+Innova[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]

I am sure Toyota is happy selling at 19L. When customers are beating a path to their door, why should they cut prices for no good reason.

I am just contemplating Fortuner sales - were it to be priced at 13 lakhs.
Well once can dream, right.

[.anshuman]

I dont find this price revision unethical or anything wrong. Every manufacturer does this kind of price revisions upon their comfort. Since the first price was introductory this was more or less expected, 45k is not a big increase.

Similarly Fiat has increased prices of Punto twice after launch even after knowing the fact its not setting sales charts on fire. Another example is Honda who keeps discontinuing base variants to make space for the lower segment product, CRV does not sell anymore at all after the 3.5 lakh hike in the price.

Toyota should be praised for redefining the sub 20lakh SUV market, not only Fortuner is a good value, the competition after its launch positioned its products to deliver better value than before, i am talking about Captiva and Endeavour.

[recshenoy]

since it was written by toyota that the initial pricing was introductory, i dont see price hike as an issue. maybe, they should have given rear disks with additional price hike!

@anshuman,

btw, how was TD of Fortuner? a small write up will do

[xingamazon]

Well there goes another thread, where people talk on one side, and then comes one comment from GTO and all the remaining comments are towards the exact opposite side that is towards mods' side.

Hey guys, come on every argument has two sides and mods have freedom to express thier opinion, they are not pressing everyone to agree to them.

Anyway, agree or not, Fortuner according to me milks its consumers, well not to full extent but to some extent, compare the features of what Endeavour provides its lesser what Fortuner provides.

Well am I right, may be not, b ut I am not siding someone for sure.

[hondadude]

Originally Posted by xingamazon

Well there goes another thread, where people talk on one side, and then comes one comment from GTO and all the remaining comments are towards the exact opposite side that is towards mods' side.

Hey guys, come on every argument has two sides and mods have freedom to express thier opinion, they are not pressing everyone to agree to them.

You are making sweeping judgments here. This community has enough independent thinkers to not get swayed by a person just because he is a moderator.

If a person makes convincing argument, people would agree to it irrespective of that person's standing.

Anyway, agree or not, Fortuner according to me milks its consumers, well not to full extent but to some extent, compare the features of what Endeavour provides its lesser what Fortuner provides.

In free economy no one can "milk" any customer because customers have choice. All those folks who are buying fortuner would have enough money to buy Endy, Pajero, Captiva, Outlander etc, yet they choose to buy fortuner.

I for one see no issues when manufacturers raise price. If you don't like it, don't buy it. Companies exist in this world to make money and any producer in fair market has a right to raise price. Consumers have a choice.

The only place where raising price can be considering "milking customers" is in monopoly markets like public utilities and SUV segment is definitely not that.

Well am I right, may be not, b ut I am not siding someone for sure.

With due respect, you appear to be arguing for the sake of arguing instead of trying to have a rational discussion.

[.anshuman]

Originally Posted by xingamazon

Anyway, agree or not, Fortuner according to me milks its consumers, well not to full extent but to some extent, compare the features of what Endeavour provides its lesser what Fortuner provides.

I dont agree, features do not always make a better buy, although its good to have more features.

I have driven both Endeavour and Fortuner, overall Fortuner is a better car without a doubt even with lesser equipment. Though i would have a loved an optional Auto-transmission.

[1-Testosterone]

As long as there is demand for "Urban SUV" Toyota can charge at their will. More than the product itself, it's the TOYOTA brand name which allows the company to price this vehicle at it's will and still laugh all the way to bank. TOYOTA + SUV = Powerful Combination and quite intimidating for others.

Frankly speaking, in this segment (with hardly any competition), FORTUNER pricing is a steal considering they are selling LC at well over 50 lacs which IMO is strictly average for it's price. Even if they revise the price by 1-2 lacs, they would still find plenty of buyers for it.

I wonder why companies like NISSAN and FORD don't bring in their more established and complete SUV's?

[.anshuman]

Originally Posted by recshenoy

@anshuman,
btw, how was TD of Fortuner? a small write up will do

Please read post# 395 of this thread:
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/test-d...ml#post1686933

[ACM]

Price correction on part of Toyota seems fair given the rising input costs.

But i do still feal that though they have corrected the pricing of others in the market who were milking the customers (but not actually selling). They too did price the vehicle a couple of lacs on the higher side for what it is to begnin with. Yet this was less criminal that what the other vendors have done so cudos to them for that atleast.

But the drum brakes? and no power anything interiors? are a let down.

Tata and M&M have the capability to correct Toyota and the others in a couple of years if they get down to reliability and high quality production.

[shankar.balan]

if you are unhappy with the price quoted, then maybe you should consider that on account of higher demand than supply, the Fortuner is so sought after right now that people are willing to pay quite a premium for the allotment itself! and just the other day I saw there was an ad for a brand new Fortuner - just out of the showroom literally and put up for sale by its owner - Im sure there was some premium involved somewhere.

also please see the case of Nano - only the first 100 cars were delivered to the consumer at the ex showroom price of Rs 100,000/-. all others were delivered at a higher price. - and just a week ago I saw two Nanos prominently displayed at an used car dealers place - they were absolutely brand new.

Originally Posted by dilipkumar7278

yesterday got a call from dealer that my car has arrived, finally after 5 months of frustration. i asked the sales advisor whether they would give price protection for early booked customers. he showed the clause in the booking document which states that it is only an introductory price and price at the time of delivery is applicable. But the catch is why should the people who booked 5months before suffer for no fault of theirs? this is def unethical of toyota

[tanwaramit]

it was anyway expected from Toyota, however, they have been quite early in increasing the hike. Atleast the deliveries should have stabilized (waiting period from 5 months to around 1 month OR 15 days)