Oct 24, 2006 02:40 PM
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Contd
4) NEGATIVES
Build Quality: The Quality of materials used otherwise is purely functional. The hollow feeling is evident in the dashboard plastics as well as the fog lamp switches, AC switch, airflow switch. (Maybe that’s because, I used to the Honda quality. But even then in my opinion maruti parts have a better feel and finish. The one drawback abt build quality was the material used in the wheel rims. Both my front wheels were dented on the delhi dehradun route – potholes near Meerut. I did drive the Honda too on that road and as roughly if not more …but nothing happened to the Honda wheels. Now I don’t know how much impact they are meant to withstand, but in Indian conditions I would expect a better wheel. This can be done by better treatment / alloy used in the wheel rims.
Gearshift: Gearshift can be made a little smoother. Though it was not much of a problem, it adds a lot to drivability - especially for inexperienced drivers.
Design (Placement of controls) – Basically the interior could do with some redesign:
1) The Power windows buttons are placed in the middle. That’s a bigger problem since the middle console is not very high. U need to bend a little to use the power windows switch. A problem while driving.
2) The Steering wheel blocks the indicator and wiper switches view completely, so you cant see the switch unless u do a little bending around.
3) Bonnet edge cannot be seen at all. Clearly it is fly by wire for the front. In this respect the esteem and maruti 800 are great. So not really an easy drive for beginners. However I notice that even in the new Honda city you can’t really see the bonnet.
Sales Experience: The sales person responsible has been giving false assurance since the very beginning of the sales experience. Really cant blame the salesperson though. It is more a problem of the processes at the dealers end.
The primary problem with the sales experience was with the CNG Fitment. Tata has appointed only (Srimankar – Note this name for who not to go to) as authorized CNG fitters. Fitment of CNG by others makes the warranty void, so you’re stuck with them. While there are CNG Kits available for Rs 33000 in Delhi, I paid 45K for CNG Fitment at Srimankar.
Firstly, Srimankar ran out of CNG Kits / Part of CNG Kits for 1 month due to which there was no CNG Fitment done in Delhi in the Month of September. So I had to pick up the car without CNG since I needed the car to go to dehradun.
Srimankaris used to giving constant excuses for non delivery of the vehicle and TATA customers take last priority since they are assured customers.
(The salesman had repeatedly told me that the CNG fitment would be done before delivery and during delivery he told that it would be a matter of 3-4 hours).
Once booking was done , I had to return empty handed on reaching Srimankar after driving 25km to deposit the car for CNG fitment. The next time the cng fitment was delayed by 2 days.
After the fitment the car was in bad shape. Dust all over, seats dirtied by the CNG ppl, Dashboard loose – not screwed back in and rubbish all around. I had to clean the car myself sione the only person who dusts cars at A-one would be available after 20 mins. And I needed to attend a corporate lunch in 10 minutes.
The engine malfunction light was on continuously after the CNG fitment, so I had to take it to the Workshop next day. Meanwhile, My dashboard had cracked (cheap quality …u see) which the workshop people were unwilling to replace saying that it cost Rs 4600. Most probably the dashboard cracked due to hot/ cold/due to placement of AC vent there …but anyways – fact is dashboard did not crack due to any impact etc. I was asked to come on Monday to get that done.
Now I’m a single person, so I have had to take leave for all this work and In all I have already take three days leave only for A-One – Srimankar work.
Another Note about Delivery:
1) Vehicle delivery was delayed due to CNG Not available. Note that Security Deposit was deposited on 28th of Aug, Cheque for Car, Insurance and CNG Kit was on 5th of Sep. I was promised delivery after 2 days of Deposit of cash. However Car was not ready, despite the Advance Payment.( I was told that if you booked your car in advance – there would be no problem in delivery) finally I asked for the car after 25th Sep after shrad ….On 25th I was told car will be available on tue, then on tue I was told wed ..Finally I received the Car on 28th without CNG since CNG was not available. (think I went through all the trouble of advance booking and advance payment just so that A-One could get the car ready in time. A-One had almost 3 weeks from date of full payment to get the car ready – but they wanted to save on the parking cost, so delayed it till the end.
2) Final delivery as scheduled for Wednesday Morning again postponed to wed evening. WhenI reached at 5:00 pm (after taking early off from office) found that driver has left for head office to collect the car. Finallly It arrived at 8:00 pm in the night. Neither the car sales whom I was dealing was there nor the driver who drove the car to the showroom. Since the driver was in a hurry to get home he drove the car on a flat tyre and completely ruined the tyre. Luckily I noticed. And Thankfully A-One replaced the tyre from another Indica parked there. There was no Owners manual in the car. I was told that it is always delivered 3-4 days later. (one more trip to A-one). (Later at the workshop, the mechanics tell me that if a faulty dashboard etc is delivered with the car, it is usually noted in the owners manual and signed. Then only do they replace it free of cost. Is that why A-one does not give Manuals on delivery?)
Taxi Image: theres nothing to stop that – the most value for money car will always turn out to be the best buy for the taxiwalahs…. Tata has managed to reduce the effect with beige interiors and snazzy colors. But whats to stop taxis runnin in those colors too….!!!
Slightly Sluggish: But I think Wagon R and especially Santro outscore the Indica on Pickup by a mile….However, its not too bad an experience. You’re out of the rat race in a way …u drive peacefully along the roads of delhi ….knowing that a slingshot is too much of an effort to attempt.
