[drive2eternity]

Interesting Thread Rajeevraj.

I was not aware that such a situation existed. I was happily praising Maruti for being pro-active in terms of Safety.

I think there is no single reason for it and it is probably a combination of the following:
1- Marketing (Branding) : Maruti gaining grounds here wrt Safety
2- Market Research : Understanding the demand of (O) variants
3- Suppliers/ Vendors : They have to ramp up their production based on point 2.
4- Dealers' Inventory : Dealers trying to clear off their unsold inventory.

All in all, we may criticize Maruti and its dealers, but we cannot say what they doing is wrong/ unethical. Also, if someone definitely wants nothing but the (O) variant, he should be firm and the dealer will oblige.

[artrocious]

Ha! Same story here.

At some point in Nov 2015, just before I ended up buying the Duster AWD (only for its endless list of safety features) I payed a booking amount for Wagon R VXI (O) with driver airbag and ABS for which the dealer offerred no discounts AT ALL and he only had it in grey color - this is around November/December time frame when discounts are huge all around.

I thought some other dealer will be able to offer a discount on my choice and I went scouting - I enquired with 4 other dealers who simply said that such an "Option" variant does not exist and if it did Maruti stopped production over a year ago. Also that I go with just VXI which is readily available in choice of colors with 30,000 discount and complimentary insurance.

I had to book the only piece of grey Wagon R VXI (O) available in the city of Chennai with absolutely no discounts only because I wanted safety even if I was buying a budget car.

My better half was pretty upset since she could not imagine chugging around in a grey car (our previous Ford Ikon was silver).

Anyway, I canceled the booking a week later.

[jetti]

Hi drive2eternity,

While the dealers behavior may not be illegal, but is it fair to treat customers who ask for safety badly? They are also paying good money. Discouraging a sale is as good as not making it. Not everyone has the time or energy to fight it out with a dealer or wait extra couple of months compared to other buyers.

Originally Posted by drive2eternity

All in all, we may criticize Maruti and its dealers, but we cannot say what they doing is wrong/ unethical. Also, if someone definitely wants nothing but the (O) variant, he should be firm and the dealer will oblige.

I personally know of a case like this. After I explained the value of safety features, my friend had booked the Celerio top end but the dealer was behaving in the same way, not giving any commitment to delivery and trying to push lower end. My friend checked out the Ford Figo petrol which had 2 airbags as standard and promptly cancelled the Celerio booking and got a Ford.

[Vikramjeet]

Originally Posted by Rajeevraj

He goes on to say Airbags and ABS are not needed in the City (Which is a standard Salesman talk). I pointed to the Outer Ring Road outside where vehicles were zooming by (being a Sunday) and asked him, Isn't this a City and aren't all those vehicles going fast. To that he had a gem of an answer. Airbags and ABS are not going to save your life, your life depends on your luck.

I have a request. Let us make this Sales Executive a Hero with his Name and Contact Number and let the Product Development team at Maruti know that Airbags and ABS will not do the work. I just loved that line - Your life depends on your luck

[sibitg]

I tried to buy a WagonR with ABS in last December in Bangalore. But all the dealers I contacted discouraged me from buying a WagonR with ABS, and they said "it is not required".

[forester]

Well, before going all guns blazing and making Official Announcements of giving the power of choice to the customer, manufacturers should first have all the necessary back-end activities in place.

Creating an Optional variant comprising of the Safety kit over its regular counterpart would include the following:

1) Inception of a new Variant Code into the part list of that model.

2) Specification changes in that particular variant, which will include - a different Harness Set, both Airbag Modules, ABS unit (if that's a part of the option), ECU & a few more related parts, with a lot of them being common with the higher variants.

3) Ramp up in the production of these parts at Suppliers' end according to the projected volumes. Also, if some of these parts are being imported, having consensus with the source countries to meet the demand within time & then placing orders for the additional quantities. These things take time & production for these variants ought to be managed & allocated accordingly.

4) Training the people on the Assembly Line to build such variants so that they get accustomed to making a Swift/Amaze with an Airbag, sans Audio or Start-Stop system and ensure that no parts go missing from these variants during the initial production lots.

All of these things need to first be in place for ensuring proper manufacturing & timely delivery of an LXI/VXI (O) or an E/S (O) to a customer living anywhere in the country.

What manufacturers are doing on the other hand is, simply grabbing the opportunities of their recent launches to gain publicity by portraying themselves as being the fore-runners in Safety implementation, when they are seeing the word being abuzz amidst the junta.

Everyone is racing against each other to get some early limelight before the Regulations (BNVSAP) actually get hold of them by next year & hence we see these big announcements without the actual purpose being solved.


The onus of inculcating a sense of Safety in the minds of people lies as much with the Manufacturer as with the Consumer who's going to be using the products. Giving these features optional is a good thing, but giving them just for the sake of it solves no purpose at all. The manufacturer doesn't fulfill its role then, neither is it allowing the buyer to exercise his.

I think Toyota, Ford & Volkswagen should be appreciated for having actually done their bit and made Dual Airbags standard across the range. That ways, you don't limit safety only to a select few and also completely eliminating the chances of not being able to deliver even after providing them as an optional add-on as well.

That in my books, is leading by example. They've stood true in playing their part. The others are simply tackling the situation still from a margin's point of view.


Unfortunately, the reality in terms of availability of these Optional variants, is dismal, as what we are seeing being reported in this thread & hence leaves them being merely on paper.

Now, since these options are officially there, the only solution at hand as of now seems to be that whoever is going in for a purchase, should remain firm in demanding that Optional variant of his choice & escalate the matter if there's absolutely no support to avail it.

[Avikbrio]

Originally Posted by Rajeevraj

Airbags and ABS are not going to save your life, your life depends on your luck.

I find this quote really appalling.

It's scientifically tested that Airbags and ABS can increase the chances of your survival by quite a substantial margin. So I would rather boost my luck by getting a model with the safety options equipped rather than one without it.

Sad to see the salesman making such statements to the customer who wants to get a safer car to ride and enjoy (for which one is also willing to pay extra). He is supposed to push for the safer car, rather than worrying only about clearing his inventory as fast as possible.

[srvm]

Hello all. Just bought Zest Petrol - XMS variant two weeks ago after reading about the importance of having ABS + Airbags. Safety of driver and passengers comes first before everything else.

Was just talking to my friend yesterday who has been driving Swift (VXi) for about 3 years now. He took my new car for a spin around the block and came back saying - "yaar, your car keeps making beep sounds when I was driving. It was warning me to wear seat belts. Why do we need it inside the city? Why don't you cut the electrical wire to stop the annoying beep sound, the way I have done in my Swift?" I was like and asked him "Dude, why don't you wear the seat belt instead? It barely takes 10 seconds?" And my friend is a well educated man, with Masters Degree in Mechanical Engineering and has a wife and very young child! Sadly even for such educated people, seat belts are just an annoying feature!

[YoungSaint]

Originally Posted by Rajeevraj

To that he had a gem of an answer. Airbags and ABS are not going to save your life, your life depends on your luck.

Ha ha ha. Now who in this sane world could reason a rock-solid logic like that! Anyway, it is a shame that MSIL is not looking into this. One of my friends in Bangalore contacted me for a suggestion over buying a car. After hearing all the details, I suggested himi Swift Vxi (O). When he went to the dealer he was told that Vxi doesn't come with Airbags and ABS.

My friend eventually bought the Vxi without the Airbags and ABS. What a shame, MSIL!

[Hemant_Joshi]

I have a slightly different take on this,

Maruti being an Industry leader - for decades now, should have been more proactive and responsible in their approach to Safety.
After 50% of cars on India roads are Maruti's, if emphasis is laid on safety and stuff like Airbags, ABS being provided in all variants and mandatorily, they may loose a minuscule percentage of customers initially, but in long run, would have earned much customer good will and aid increasing their market share and other brands would definitely have followed suit.

It cannot be charity off course, but, they can charge nominally, but, it would still work out just because of economy of scale..

That would make the majority of cars better and lot safer in our country much faster than the current rate,,

Originally Posted by drive2eternity

Interesting Thread Rajeevraj.
...
All in all, we may criticize Maruti and its dealers, but we cannot say what they doing is wrong/ unethical. Also, if someone definitely wants nothing but the (O) variant, he should be firm and the dealer will oblige.

[4x4addict]

Manufacturers push stocks down dealers throats. Dealers have already paid for the inventory billed to them and their first preference is to sell what is in stock and what they already paid for. Majority of Indian buyers will not want ABS/Air Bags, once you show them the keyless entry with push button start. Hence, dealer doesn't want to order the model with safety features.

When I went to book my Ritz VDI with ABS option, he said no stock and gave me the same story. So, I put my check book back in my bag and walked out. A week later, I got my Silver Ritz VDI (ABS). Turns out the company had stock in their yard and dealer billed it and took it, when he figured, he was going to loose the sale.

[Sutripta]

And later on Maruti can claim "We gave safety features as an option. No one bought them."

Regards
Sutripta

[veyron_head]

Had been to check the pricing of Swift today. The sales man said its immediate delivery for LDI and VDI, and 'at least 1 to 2 months' for the (O) variants (with no upper cap on the timeframe!). I could see that he was clearly taught to tell this to the customers and discourage customers from buying the Optional variants.

Like many have mentioned before, Maruti seems to be offering the Safety variants on paper, openly discouraging customers from buying it, and creating market research reports to 'prove' people don't value safety in India.

[blackwasp]

Originally Posted by 4x4addict

Manufacturers push stocks down dealers throats. Dealers have already paid for the inventory billed to them and their first preference is to sell what is in stock

Tend to agree here. Of the Ciaz stock in the dealership I work, only one option variant was spotted in a 15-20 car inventory. But in Ciaz except the base vdi/Vxi all models have dual airbags so can't say concretely that option variant is not preferred by customers (as not many people buy base model) but in case of other models, there are literally no option models available! Especially in WagonR and Swift !

[hemant.kamat]

My 2 cents: I took delivery of an Alto 800 VXi last week. While I wanted to go in for the VXi (O) variant, I was informed by the dealer that the (O) variants are not kept in inventory by any dealer; they are built to order and have a waiting period of 2~3 months. Also, no cash discount on the (O) variant, 35K off on the VXi.