'Build and Price' - Should Indian Automakers Offer Customized Vehicles?

[icecool]

Outside India, in many countries automobile manufacturers let you "BUILD and PRICE" your car online on their website. The process is something like, there is a base price attached, and then depending on your needs you may add / remove accessories, seats, choose color and all. In doing so you are updated at every stage, your price of car, and you do not have to depend on the DEALER. later when car is ready, it is shipped to nearest dealer and you are asked to pay the pending amount and take delivery.

Adding this feature does add cost to the manufacturer as the assembly unit needs more intelligence, but looking into the kind of international quality entering India, I dont think it will be difficult for manufacturers. Also the middle cost of dealer (who makes profit for himself as well as to employ salesman and pay rent for his showroom and tax) which we are supposed to pay will also reduce.

I am 100% for this feature. What about you folks? Do you think manufacturers in India should start this feature for consumer to build his own car over their basic versions?

 

[Highway Ranger]

Sure will be good as we can select only the features that we want, thereby reducing the cost to some extent.

BTW, Dell follows this in their direct sales for their systems.

 

[Sam Dinkar]

Outside India, in many countries automobile manufacturers let you "BUILD and PRICE" your car online on their website. The process is something like, there is a base price attached, and then depending on your needs you may add / remove accessories, seats, choose color and all. In doing so you are updated at every stage, your price of car, and you do not have to depend on the DEALER. later when car is ready, it is shipped to nearest dealer and you are asked to pay the pending amount and take delivery.
Do you think manufacturers in India should start this feature for consumer to build his own car over their basic versions?

Ever heard of the Mahindra Quadro?

 

[konkantrip]

Ever heard of the Mahindra Quadro?

Sam can you tell us more on this

 

[anshuman8]

All good , but what if a customer cancels or forfeits his order ?

 

[Highway Ranger]

All good , but what if a customer cancels or forfeits his order ?

I suppose money upfront or some sort of penalty/non refundable advance...

 

[anshuman8]

I suppose money upfront or some sort of penalty/non refundable advance...

That is ok, if some one foregoes that non refundable amount what will the manufacturer do with that stock ?

 

[Highway Ranger]

That is ok, if some one foregoes that non refundable amount what will the manufacturer do with that stock ?

Sell it off to other customers who want similar or more options (by adding more options or removing removable options). Anyway we cannot custom order more than the top end version. We can only add on to the basic version up to the top end version.

They can also make a sales pitch saying this config is ready to deliver, to some customer in a hurry... happens all the time.

 

[Sam Dinkar]

Sam can you tell us more on this

The Quadro was the first Indian vehicle that could be customized on the internet by prospective customers. It was a basic open bodied MM550 shell with a 72bhp 2.6 litre diesel engine with a low ratio transfer case and everything else on the vehicle was customizable - canopies, doors, interiors, dash, decals, roll over bars, wheels, colours, grille, bull bars, blah. If I remember correctly it was launched in the year 2001 and the website was www.mahindraquadro.com. I had been on that website; you could choose your options and see how your Quadro looked with them fitted on it - all this was quite a snappy experience for that time.

Mahindra marketed the Quadro as a 'Neticle' or something.

 

[icecool]

The Quadro was the first Indian vehicle that could be customized on the internet by prospective customers. It was a basic open bodied MM550 shell with a 72bhp 2.6 litre diesel engine with a low ratio transfer case and everything else on the vehicle was customizable - canopies, doors, interiors, dash, decals, roll over bars, wheels, colours, grille, bull bars, blah. If I remember correctly it was launched in the year 2001 and the website was www.mahindraquadro.com. I had been on that website; you could choose your options and see how your Quadro looked with them fitted on it - all this was quite a snappy experience for that time.

Mahindra marketed the Quadro as a 'Neticle' or something.

woooh!! now thats a news. how did I never knew about this? thanks man. well I think its time to revive it. may be India was not ready for it that time around.

 

[Rajvel]

As for as i know !
In india, people wont customise instead they go with the vehicle offered in base price. Except few people like us , welcome and customise our rides.

 

[icecool]

looks like TOYOTA heard me, they have started a link offering atleast cosmetic changes
.:Make My Car:.