[red.devil_19]

Originally Posted by Content Reactor

Thank you, Akhil. This is the concern I have. the car is expected to reach the yard on April 23-24. I'm wondering if I should give a post-dated check for April 24 for now. I can also reply to their email that I will confirm delivery only after PDI inspection after it reaches the yard. And as you said, I will make the full payment only after inspection. So I can hold off say Rs 20k and make that payment on the day of inspection. Hope this is sufficient.

If the dealers don't leave you with any option other than to make full payment before you inspect the vehicle, then make sure you don't sign any papers related to the registration of your car.

The thing is, until it's registered in your name, I don't think there would be much of an issue even if you find serious faults during the PDI. They'd be bound to provide a replacement car in case it turns out to be a lemon. Sure, it means a little more wait but will ensure peace of mind!

Once the car is registered in your name, you'll have to live with that particular car, come what may. So I'd suggest you give clear instructions to the dealer, in writing (email perhaps?), that the car is not to be registered in your name until you are satisfied with the PDI & have provided you approval for the same.

That way, you get to pay only the agreed price of the car (prior to price hike) and you have the peace of mind as well. But again, make sure they honour the agreement of not charging you the updated higher pricing of the car, by having the conversation recorded over email.

[Chetan_Rao]

Originally Posted by Content Reactor

......The dealership said I can refuse delivery if I don't want to take the car (after PDI).....

Do you have that in writing? If not, you'll have no choice but to accept the car once they invoice it to you. Why do you want to take that risk?

Your only leverage in this transaction is your money. Once you hand that over, you no longer call the shots. We'd all love better consumer empowerment, but it is what it is, so please protect your own interests.

P.S. The whole 'price protection' angle is usually hogwash at dealer level. Based on the effective date of price revision, you'll pay old or new prices depending on whether your car was dispatched from the factory before or after that date. Dealer really has no say in it.

[Content Reactor]

Thank you red.devil_19 and Chetan_Rao for the speedy response. I have emailed the dealership as follows:
" Thank you for the details. As discussed, Please let me know when the vehicle will be available for PD inspection and I will come to the yard for inspection. I will hand over my old car today based on price committed at the time of booking and hand a post-dated cheque based on the day the car is available for inspection. I will pay any remaining amount on the day of inspection so that you can invoice and proceed with registration. Based on my previous conversation, I also understand that even if I pay the amount now, I can refuse delivery of car in case I am not satisfied with the car at the time of PD inspection. "
I've gone through our TBHP PDI checklist and the thread but I'm not sure what would amount to be a "lemon" as I'm sure I wont be able to drive the car around. I can check for panel gaps, or other minor issues and start the engine and check if electricals are working. However, I'm not sure what can constitute a car to to be a lemon.

[Nonstop-driver]

Originally Posted by Chetan_Rao

Do you have that in writing? If not, you'll have no choice but to accept the car once they invoice it to you. Why do you want to take that risk?

Not true. The invoicing can be reversed as well although it's an elaborated process for the dealer.

Originally Posted by Content Reactor

I will hand over my old car today based on price committed at the time of booking and hand a post-dated cheque based on the day the car is available for inspection. I will pay any remaining amount on the day of inspection so that you can invoice and proceed with registration. Based on my previous conversation, I also understand that even if I pay the amount now, I can refuse delivery of car in case I am not satisfied with the car at the time of PD inspection. "

I've gone through our TBHP PDI checklist and the thread but I'm not sure what would amount to be a "lemon" as I'm sure I wont be able to drive the car around. I can check for panel gaps, or other minor issues and start the engine and check if electricals are working. However, I'm not sure what can constitute a car to to be a lemon.

The bold has an iota of confusion. Sounds like you're asking them to proceed with registration.

1. They need your signatures to proceed with the Invoice and Registration. There's an inspection confirmation that you will have to sign. Don't sign anywhere, don't pay the money.

2. You can refuse delivery after PDI, whether or not the dealer agrees to this. Until the car is invoiced in your name, it is the dealer's car, not yours. The only leverage the dealer has is your money. Don't pay anything over and above the booking amount. No cheques, nothing. PDI, invoicing, registration, delivery generally take 6-7 hours. It can't be done the same day anyway. Better to not give any cheque until PDI is done. Pay after the PDI and book for delivery the next day.

3. You can drive the car around with the yard as a part of the PDI, don't hesitate to ask for it even if the dealer comes up with funny explanations.

4. Please take the value of your old car in writing, along with the period and ODO meter reading until which it will be valid or invoicing, whichever is later. Had a similar issue while trading my car last month. The dealer refused to honour his word despite us having it in writing. He claimed the value was valid for a period of 7 days or 100kms, while he himself delivered the new car a month after the promised date. Had to threaten a walkout to bring him at terms.

Source: Had a similar discussion in the Creta thread over my recent purchase.

[red.devil_19]

Originally Posted by Content Reactor

Thank you red.devil_19 and Chetan_Rao for the speedy response. I have emailed the dealership

Sorry if I mislead you. Basically I meant that there should not be any glaring issues. You're right; you can only check so much during a PDI. As long as you follow the Team BHP PDI Checklist, you should be fine!

It's a good thing you have mailed them. Its now recorded in black & white, so they cannot go back on their promise. One can't just trust the word of mouth & goodwill.

I wish everything goes smoothly for you & you get your new ride soon!

[Chetan_Rao]

Originally Posted by Nonstop-driver

Not true. The invoicing can be reversed as well although it's an elaborated process for the dealer......

You answered your own question.

I remember the discussion about your Creta purchase. Didn't the dealer insist an allotted car was yours just because it was dispatched against your order?

In a country like ours with near-zero 'real' consumer protection (I'd rather not debate effectiveness of existing procedures), would you really trust a dealer to go through the hassle of reversing transactions for a dissatisfied customer? This Honda dealer in question already gave away the first allotted car to another guy just because he paid up without asking questions.

P.S. Call my cynical but I'll repeat what I told you and the OP, and what you just repeated in your post. A customer's money is his/her only surety in India. Keep it in your pocket until you're satisfied with the product. There have been plenty of cases where dealerships have put customers through the grinder just to return booking amounts. Fat chance they're going to return a million+ rupees once it hits their bank account.

[Nonstop-driver]

Originally Posted by Chetan_Rao

Didn't the dealer insist an allotted car was yours just because it was dispatched against your order?

Keep it in your pocket until you're satisfied with the product. There have been plenty of cases where dealerships have put customers through the grinder just to return booking amounts. Fat chance they're going to return a million+ rupees once it hits their bank account.

He did But after all formalities, I had a discussion with their Sales GM who said that it is 'possible' to reverse an invoicing and reallot the vehicle because he had cases where the customer couldn't/ didn't pay up.

100% agreed with the second part. Hence I recommended the OP to not deposit a post-dated cheque. While the dealer may invoice the vehicle at will, as long as the payment hasn't been made, the customer can just walk out and dodge the bullet. The booking refund will be a hassle but better than a traumatic car buying experience.

[handsofsteel]

My S.A. called me up and said price increase 7k to 15k from brio to brv, Accord 18k and crv 24k. With effect from 15 Apr. Said, the quantum of increase for city hasn't been announced but expected to be between 15-18k (based on positioning).

[Content Reactor]

Originally Posted by Nonstop-driver

Not true. The invoicing can be reversed as well although it's an elaborated process for the dealer.
The bold has an iota of confusion. Sounds like you're asking them to proceed with registration.
1. They need your signatures to proceed with the Invoice and Registration. There's an inspection confirmation that you will have to sign. Don't sign anywhere, don't pay the money.
2. You can refuse delivery after PDI, whether or not the dealer agrees to this. Until the car is invoiced in your name, it is the dealer's car, not yours. The only leverage the dealer has is your money. Don't pay anything over and above the booking amount. No cheques, nothing. PDI, invoicing, registration, delivery generally take 6-7 hours. It can't be done the same day anyway. Better to not give any cheque until PDI is done. Pay after the PDI and book for delivery the next day.
3. You can drive the car around with the yard as a part of the PDI, don't hesitate to ask for it even if the dealer comes up with funny explanations.
4. Please take the value of your old car in writing, along with the period and ODO meter reading until which it will be valid or invoicing, whichever is later. Had a similar issue while trading my car last month. The dealer refused to honour his word despite us having it in writing. He claimed the value was valid for a period of 7 days or 100kms, while he himself delivered the new car a month after the promised date. Had to threaten a walkout to bring him at terms.

Source: Had a similar discussion in the Creta thread over my recent purchase.

An update: The SA asked the Auto Terrace (used car) agent to re-evaluate the car prior to handover and he quoted 20k less than previously agreed on. SA said earlier they had given the offer with an exchange bonus and this month they dont have that offer. Second, the agent says this is the current rate at the market. So I have two options:
1. Sell used car outside
2. Give it as exchange at another dealership where I have booked a lower variant(SVMT) which is readily available.
3. Give it to the agent at his price.
I prefer to go with option 1 as I get a better rate.

The dealership also confirmed that the price hike will be announced tomorrow so I'm assuming I need to make most of the payment before effective date of the price hike but not sure if making 90% payment is enough to retain the price. Going by what CarguyNish said earlier,
"If it's an April 2017 make, you will get it at current price if
1. It's delivered before price hike
2. If the full payment is done with registration being done by dealer.
3. Invoice price is same as last month's stocks. "

1. The vehicle arrives only around April 23 so it wont come before hike
2. I can make full payment as they (verbally) promised to refund if I am not satisfied with car during PDI. Awaiting written confirmation. However, if I'm retaining 10k as a token amount, not sure if that would work as its still not full amount. Registration will be done after price hike announcement as car arrival is only around April 23.
3. Sales Head confirmed that the price is same as last month. Is the invoicing done at the time the vehicle leaves the Honda facility? In that case, yes. the invoice price is the same as last month.

They are yet to respond to my email and I just sent a follow-up email.

[Nonstop-driver]

Originally Posted by Content Reactor

An update: The SA asked the Auto Terrace (used car) agent to re-evaluate the car prior to handover and he quoted 20k less than previously agreed on.

2. I can make full payment as they (verbally) promised to refund if I am not satisfied with car during PDI. Awaiting written confirmation.

3. Sales Head confirmed that the price is same as last month. Is the invoicing done at the time the vehicle leaves the Honda facility? In that case, yes. the invoice price is the same as last month.

1. Typical of dealerships. Stick to your ground. Meet another dealer for the same variant, discuss the exchange and then pressurize the current dealer. Selling outside means you'll have to bother about transferring the registration.

2. Don't. It's a trap. They won't refund a penny.

3. No, invoicing is an automated process. The system will pick the price as on the date of invoicing, it can't be modified. The dealer can discount it from his commission pool but for a new model with takers, he won't.

[quadmaniac]

Originally Posted by Content Reactor

2. Give it as exchange at another dealership where I have booked a lower variant(SVMT) which is readily available.

Don't go for SVMT 2017: paying a few thousands extra you get a lot of goodies in VMT that outweigh the costs by far - and the reverse camera is a huge boon.

[Content Reactor]

Originally Posted by quadmaniac

Don't go for SVMT 2017: paying a few thousands extra you get a lot of goodies in VMT that outweigh the costs by far - and the reverse camera is a huge boon.

Thanks for the reply quadmaniac. That is one main reasons I didn't want to make the jump either. However, time seems to be a constraint. I'll need to make the payment before the price hike announcement which is likely to be tomorrow or latest by Saturday. I won't be able to inspect the VMT till April 23 and they are expecting full payment to retain the old price. I'm not sure if holding back 10k as token amount will help either. If they need to make the invoice in my name before the hike, I'm guessing they need to be paid in full now.

[Content Reactor]

The dealership called to say they will invoice in my name but if I'm not happy with the car, they will refund the amount.

[Content Reactor]

Originally Posted by Content Reactor

The dealership called to say they will invoice in my name but if I'm not happy with the car, they will refund the amount.

Update: The sales head replied as follows:
"You can inspect the car in inside Olympia Honda (vehicle not allowed outside)
With out your mail approval we will not send the car for registration
And refund will be given if not satisfied".

I think I should be good here

[Revy]

I am in discussion with an SA from Dakshin Honda, Hosur Road Bangalore. He never mentioned anything about an impending price hike. I did test drive of VX MT, now want to try the CVT as well tomorrow before making up my mind. He told that V CVT white color is readily available and couple of other colors. Usually in such cases, they will try hurry your decision by saying - buy it now or price is increasing soon ! He did not say that so far, I am wondering why !