Good to be here and hope to take help from everyone. This is a continuation to my earlier post (
Endeavour 3.0 4WD AT or Pajero or Captiva Xtreme MT - Team-BHP) which was dedicated towards the decision to buy an Endy 3.0, referred to
Xena from now on.
So, the decision was sealed between me and my cow that there is no looking back; it'll be the Endy. The only thing that has changed is the choice of the color.
We were at the dealership yesterday (Bhavna Ford, DY Patil Stadium, Nerul, Navi Mumbai), and just before I was to sign the credit card slip for the booking amount, my cow decided to change her decision from black to white. I played along as I have admired the statesman
ish look of the white one. The black was a choice because of my love for Eric Hotchner (Criminal Minds) and Dana Scully & Fox Maulder (X-Files)...
Couple of raging questions which I must respond to at this stage.
Pricing: I know you may call me stupid!!! but I am yet to get a firm fix on finally what I will end up paying. Between Me, Swapnil (Bhavna Ford) and Shukla
ji (Pathfinders - Financial Service Providers... loan broker), we trying some magic to get to a consensus. All I know that it may be around my figure which is 21,20,857 + Stamp Duty Charges. I have told Swapnil that I am the quintessential Indian consumer who needs something for free, and so I am expecting him to throw in some freebies, but what would that be is not even a guess.
Discount: Again... No discount from the dealership. Shuklaji would get me some from his share of the pie, as he would be doing the insurance bit as well.
Financing: I have observed that I have kept cars for usually 3 years, and while I don't intend to do the same with Xena, but HE knows that I get the itch every three years. Nevertheless, decided upon the fact that I need to pay a moderate upfront and low EMIs. SO, the duration had to go up. Have decided upon going in for a sever-year loan. There were a variety of options available, but mostly from public sector banks. I had been in touch with SBI, Corporation Bank, and Bank of Karnataka. Federal Bank & Axis Bank were being tapped from the non-PSU sector. As it seems, its going to be Axis. Its on a 10.5% standard rate; Shuklaji has promised me to get it confirmed at 50 basis points lower. The other options such as SBI has been talking about their 8% for the first year, ~10% for the 2nd & 3rd year and then for the rest of the four years, it would depend upon market conditions (and expected at about 11%). I have asked Shuklaji to continue to follow up on Federal Bank, as he may get a 9.5% rate there. The problem is that most private banks don't offer 7-year periods. The other thing that should be kept in mind is the 'finance' amount. All PSU Banks (basing my deduction on the 3-4 banks that I have interacted with) operate on financing on the landed price and usually at 85%, whilst all other banks operate on financing on the ex-showroom rpice and usually ranging between 85%-90%. The great Shuklaji is now on war-footing because of my menial demands. He has confirmed 90% funding. Somewhere in between all of this, he is going to part ways with some cash discount to me as well.
Insurance: Insurance will be done by Shuklaji and and confirmed to give me a 30% discount.
Booking: Paid 100,000 INR to make the booking yesterday, 03rd of July. A white-colored car is on its way from the factory and is expected to land by 7th. Inspection to happen on 8th, and then my PDI (I plan to use the Team-BHP PDI Checklist), and then it would take 3 working days for registration. FYI - I am not going for fancy numbers on my plates. I, hence, expect Xena to be home by 14th/15th (considering unforseeable delays and the weekend).
Accessories: I feel a little cheated by the 6K that Ford takes for mats and mud-flaps. I think I will procure them from outside, but that's a decision that I will take later on. I don't intend to buy any specific accessories except for getting the windows tinted/filmed, skid plates, footwell lighting, rear-door mirror (fetish... no use otherwise), roof-rack tray, door weather shield. I don't intend to change the music section. Any suggestions??? Swapnil tells me that the Fottwell lighting has some problems, and they have been facing failure in getting it to work properly. I don't intend to buy the accessories from the dealership, unless quality becomes an issue with private suppliers.
Tyres: What should I do? Current size is 245 / 70 R 16.
Keep on pouring in your thoughts and views... and I shall keep updating this thread as the journey continues to get
Xena home!