Cars in India

One of the major aspects that one looks at when purchasing an expensive asset is the after sales services. And this is an important factor when purchasing electronic gadgets and vehicles that go through wear and tear and do require servicing every now and then. And there are no guarantees when a unit may turn out to have some mechanical faults.

It is for these reasons that some companies have developed a consumer cell, wherein the consumers can express their grievances and the customer service executive helps them solve this problem. Apart from that, there are also interactive car owner forums that serve the same purpose. There are also the platforms for other people involved in the automobile industry, which includes the labor, inventors, mechanics, etc.

Take for instance, during the deluge of 26/7 in Mumbai in 2005, many cars in Mumbai were ruined and had to be given for servicing. Because of the number of cars there was a waiting period of almost three months and longer for many. This was causing impatience. However, to help customers deal with their growing frustrations and irritation, the companies set up a special customer grievance cell that kept the customers well informed on the duration and process of their car repairing and servicing.

Web sources for interesting information and interactive forums:

http://www.car-forums.com/
A meeting point for car enthusiasts from around the world

In the last five to six years there has been a complete shift in the market dynamics, with an increasing number of people affording expensive assets. One such domain is the automobile industry be it the two-wheelers or the four-wheelers. People with steady income proof can apply for a loan and based on the ratios of income to EMI payback they are provided finance for the vehicle of their choice.

Most car dealers have a tie-up with banks and finance companies that are ready to lend money to prospective car owners. Such tie ups help speed up the loan providing process. Apart from car loans there are also the car insurance schemes. In fact, as part of the discount packages the car dealers and other sellers provide free insurance schemes. This is another boon provided to car buyers.

Today, car loans & insurance has become a part of the car buying deal. However, insurance for second hand cars is more difficult to get, and is not provided by the dealer. Also, the EMI per lakh on a second hand car is Rs. 3,000. This is more than what one pays for a brand new car. And the loans are more easily available on the brand new cars.

(The figures given here is an average, it varies according to various factors, such as tenure and down payment amount, amongst others)

Links to information on loans and insurance:

http://sify.com/finance/loans/
This pages contains links to technical information about car loans and insurance

If one is travel to the state of Punjab then they would come across the maximum number of automobile spare part dealers and manufacturers. In fact, most north Indians own a spare parts business in various parts of the country. They not only take up manufacturing job work from the larger companies, but also take up dealership of branded accessories and auto parts.

Most car owners prefer to visit such dealers after completion of their car guarantee and warrantee period. This is because when sending the car to the manufacturer’s repair shop there is a waiting period of anywhere from a couple of days to three weeks, maybe even more, in case of non-availability of part. However, one will almost always get on the spot auto parts and services from the authorized dealers. Saving them money and effort. However, one needs to ensure the authenticity of the dealer and the part being fitted into the car.

Ideally, one should purchase a car after six months to a year of its launch. This is because sometimes certain models maybe discontinued within the first year of manufacturing due to various reasons, and this also leads to the non-availability of certain parts of the car.

These are links to auto spare parts dealers and manufacturers:

http://www.autosparepartsindia.com/
The official website of auto spare parts India

http://www.roopindia.com/
Manufacturers of auto spare parts

Support groups and associations have been organized through the ages, to form a common forum, for people of the same profession, interests, wavelength, etc., to come together and share common factors. These could be forums to express grievances, to announce launches, to solve problems, to celebrate successes, or simply as social gatherings.

The car associations & clubs are of various types and in accordance serve a variety of purposes. Some of these associations take the garb of being non-government organizations (NGO) working towards the interests of a certain section of people, who are directly or indirectly a part of the automobile industry. For instance, there are some NGOs that help consumers deal with their problems relating to after sales services, etc.

Then there are those clubs and associations set up by dealers, sellers, manufactures, owners, etc. They come together on various occasions to express common concerns. Some such groups also have newsletters and other such literature published that is circulated amongst the entire fraternity, whether members of the association, or not. Usually, the more serious associations function as a link between Government and industry, voicing their opinions on matters that affect the industry, as well as providing suggestions on how they can support the Government through their industry.

Given here are the links to two of the leading car associations in India

http://www.siamindia.com/
This is the official website of the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers

http://www.wiaaindia.com/
This is the official website of Western India Automobile Association

http://www.vccci.com/
The official website of the Vintage & Classic Car club of India

There are some cars that cannot be taken out on the roads on a daily basis, but are a part of family heritage or a hobby of the rich and famous celebrity section of society. These are the classic, hobby cars. These vintage cars are rather expensive on the road and off the road. They require proper maintenance, and where their mileage is concerned, one would rather take them out for a long drive once in a way.

There are periodic vintage car rallies when people bring out their classic cars from the garages and take them for a spin through the route charted by the organizers. These are generally the fun rallies, with no awards so to speak. But, it is a sight for car lovers, seeing almost a hundred of these cars ply through the roads in various shapes and sizes, as well as colors. And one cannot deny how well kept they are.

For almost all vintage car owners, one of these old-fashioned expensive models is enough. However, there are a few industrialists and celebrities who own a fleet of such cars. There are also the exotic car dealers around the country. One can also import these car models from abroad, but they should be ready to pay a large sum of money as car stamp duty.

The following sites are dedicated to information on classic cars :

http://www.wiaaindia.com/vintage.asp
This link provides information on insurance for classic cars