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Skoda Auto
Skoda Auto is based in Czech Republic and one of the
premium automobile manufacturers in the world. It is a
part of the international Volkswagen Group. Skoda Auto
entered Indian market in November 2001 with two
dealerships in Mumbai and Delhi, and opened its
Greenfield plant in Aurangabad. Skoda Auto India has
achieved impressive growth in a short span of time. It
has received a spate of awards like "Overdrive Car of
the year" and "CNBC Autocar Best Design & Style of the
year".
Skoda Fabia
SkodaLaura
Skoda Laurin & Klement
SkodaOctavia
SkodaOctavia Combi
SkodaSuperb
Honda India
Honda Siel Cars India Ltd., (HSCI) was established in
December 1995 as a joint venture between Honda Motor Co.
Ltd., Japan and Siel Limited to manufacture passenger
cars in India. The company has introduced three models
in India - Honda City, Honda Accord, and Honda CR-V.
Very shortly it is going to launch its new model, Honda
Civic, in India. Honda Siel Cars India Ltd. is ISO 9002
& ISO 14001 certified.
Honda Accord
Honda City ZX
Honda Civic
Honda CR-V
Car Buying Tips
Buying a car entails big expenditure. For most people it
is a major monetary decision of their lifetime and it
involve substantial amount of their savings. So before
buying a car it is advisable to do a little bit of
research work and keep some commonsensical things in
mind rather than regretting later. We are giving some
tips for buying a car-new and old.
* Tips For Buying New Car
* Tips For Buying Used Car
Tips For Buying New Car
We all dream to own a car someday. Now that you have
decided to buy a new car, naturally you are excited.
Buying a car is a big investment but it can be rewarding
too if proper homework is done.
Your endeavor should be to get a fair deal-right car at
right price. To ensure this you must do thorough
groundwork and must be crystal clear about certain
things in your mind. Our car buying tips will facilitate
you to reach on the decision
Don't buy a car with a preconceived notion: Don't buy
car in a huff. Before buying a car gather all the
relevant information such as technical specifications,
mileage etc. from various sources-Internet and/or
dealers. With loads of reliable information available
you should first go for a virtual car shopping. This
will help you in taking an informed buying decision.
Many people go for buying a car with a preconceived
notion for or against a particular car. Avoid falling
into this trap and go for buying a car with an open mind
after considering all the pros and cons of the car.
Decide your priorities: Different cars come with
different plus points. Some have great pick up, some
give high mileage, some have additional safety features,
some are economical to maintain and so on. Before buying
any car you should be very clear about your priorities
regarding the car i.e. whether you want great pick up or
high mileage. Also keep other factors in your mind such
as the size of your family and the seating capacity of
the car.
Decide your budget: The foremost factor in deciding
which car you buy is your budget. Decide what is the
maximum limit that you can afford to spend on buying a
car. If you are buying a car by availing a car loan then
decide what is the maximum EMI that you can afford on
your present income. Buying a car also involves hidden
costs like insurance, registration, fuel and
maintenance. So also factor in these expenditure in your
monthly income while deciding on the amount of EMI.
Petrol car v/s Diesel car: Both petrol and diesel cars
have their own advantages and disadvantages. As compared
to petrol engines, diesel engines are more economical;
and have better pull in the gears thereby reducing the
need for gear changing. But diesel engines have slower
pick up; high maintenance cost; and result in extra
vibrations and noise under acceleration.
On the other hand petrol engines are quieter, have
greater pick up and cheaper to service than diesel
engines. Recent advances in technology have enabled
diesel and petrol engines to overcome most of their
drawbacks. Turbo-diesel, modern direct injection, and
common rail systems have greatly enhanced the
performance of diesel engine. Petrol engine technology
too has made impressive advancements with improvements
in torque, bhp and mileage.
So give a considered thought to all these factors before
deciding to buy a petrol or diesel car.
Trade-in v/s private sale of old car: If you are buying
your new car in lieu of old car, there are two options
before you. Either you can trade-in your old car for a
new car or you can sell your old car on your own and use
that money to buy a new car. Both the options have their
pros and cons.
You may receive a higher price if you go for private
sale but it would require additional work as you will
have to do the paperwork and title transfers on your
own. On the other hand trade-ins are easy because the
dealers do all the requisite paperwork but it would
fetch you 10-20 percent less price than if you were to
sell it privately as dealer would also keep his cut.
Generally speaking if your car is in good condition it
is better to go for private sale and if your car is in
rough condition you should opt for trade-in.
Negotiate the price: Once you have zeroed on the car you
want to buy, it is time to negotiate the price. Shop
around before entering final negotiations. Carry out a
survey of different dealers to see if you can get a
better price. It is quite possible that some dealers may
have a special offer on the model you desire.
If you are going for a trade-in always negotiate the
on-the-road price of the car first. Once you have
settled that only then go for discussing the possibility
of trading in your old car. Salesmen will always ask
about the trade-in first, so that they can factor it
into the deal, hence try to keep it out of the equation
as long as you can.
Take a test drive: Before finalizing the deal always
take a test drive to get the feel of the car. Make sure
that you are comfortable and satisfied with the car.
Check that there is enough leg space, luggage space,
steering is not too heavy et al.
Finalising the deal and signing the paperwork: As buyer
of the car you need to ensure that all the legal forms
should be filled in completely and submitted to the
right authorities. You have to register the car with the
Regional Transport Office. Following documents are
required to be submitted to the RTO:
* Application for new car registration or Form 20
* Photocopy of the invoice, insurance policy, ration
card or telephone bill as proof of address.
* Original Sale Certificate or Form No 23, Sales Tax
Receipt, Octroi Receipt
* Pollution Under Control Certificate from the
manufacturer or Form No 22
* Letter from the financier, in case you have taken a
loan to purchase a car, addressed to the RTO asking them
to endorse their lien on your car registration
certificate book or Form No 34
* Your PAN number
* Imprint of your car's Chassis Number
Tips For Buying Used Car
It is always better to go for a used car if you are a
greenhorn and have just learnt driving. This way you can
refine your driving skills and gain the necessary
confidence before investing a substantial amount on new
car.
Some of the reasons, which have made used car market, a
big attraction are:
* Less capital investment
* One can afford a luxury model in relatively less
price.
* Lower depreciation
* Used car market has developed these days and most car
makers now sell certified used cars, which include
warranties.
* Financing rates for used cars have dropped in recent
years.
But buying a used car has a few downsides too. Used cars
have higher maintenance cost as compared to new cars.
You may have to go for replacement of old tyres,
battery, clutch plate etc. Used cars have low
reliability and they are susceptible to frequent
breakdowns. New cars tend to have advanced and more
safety features as compared to old cars.
Now that you have decided to buy a used car just follow
these simple tips to get the best bargain.
1. Decide your budget: It is always better to have a
rough idea of the amount that you can afford to spend on
buying the car before starting the car buying process.
This way you can avoid overshooting your budget. While
deciding about the budget also account for the insurance
and other running costs.
2. Finding the right car: Unlike buying a new car you
can't be fastidious while buying a used car. You have to
be flexible. If you're set on one model, in a specific
color, with a certain mileage or specification you may
find it hard to get a bargain as you're focusing on a
narrow market. If you're prepared to consider something
similar to what you want, you'll find a much wider
choice available and it becomes easier to negotiate.
3. Communicate with the seller: You can buy the used car
either from a dealer or from an individual. While buying
the car from an individual enquire why he/she is selling
the car, how the car was used (single hand, daily
commuting etc.), and finally ask for permission to get
the car inspected by a car mechanic. If you get the
right answers only then proceed further otherwise look
for some other seller.
4. Thoroughly inspect the car: While an individual
seller may permit you to get the car inspected by a
mechanic, a dealer may not be so obliging. Don't let
this stop you from doing some inspection on your own.
Keep following things in mind while inspecting the car.
* The engine should idle smoothly without surging or
sputtering, and accelerate from standstill without
bucking or hesitating.
* Inspect the chassis of the car. The bodyline will give
you an indication whether the car has met an accident or
not.
* Look for signs of repainting. Check whether all the
body parts are of same colour. Open the trunk, hood and
doors. Look for paint specs or over spray-a telltale
sign that all or part of the vehicle has been repainted.
* Check the wheel alignment of cars. Uneven wear and
tear of tyres-balding on the sides or in the
middle-indicate poor alignment.
* Check the condition of battery.
* Check whether all the headlights and indicators are
working properly.
* Check air conditioning for proper operation.
Sufficiently heat up the engine to test the efficiency
of air conditioner. Check the operations of defroster,
heater and fan.
5. Take a test drive: A test drive will give you the
feel of the car and help you arrive at the decision
whether the car is fit for you or not.
Look out for following things while taking a test drive:
* With the engine idling before you start your
test-drive, turn the steering wheel right and left.
There should not be any play in the wheel before the
tyres start to turn.
* The engine should idle smoothly without clattering or
metallic sounds, or sharp hissing, in the engine
compartment. Normal sound is smooth whirring of belts
and fan.
* Check the condition of clutch plates.
* Test the brakes on an empty stretch of road. From a
speed of 30 kph, apply the brakes hard. The car should
stop straight and quickly, without pulling to one side
and without any vibration. The pedal feel should be
smooth and linear, and stopping the car shouldn't take a
huge effort.
6. Ensure that the paperwork is in order: It is very
important to ensure that the paperwork of the vehicle is
in order before finalizing the deal. It is quite
possible that you may be lured into buying a stolen
vehicle by a tempting offer. The checklist for paperwork
is as follows:
* Registration Book (Registration Certificate / RC
Book): It is issued by the RTO, showing date and address
of registration and a record of the owners of the
vehicle. The car's Engine No. and the Chassis No. should
be verified with that shown in the RC Book. If the car
has met with an accident which involved changing the
cars chassis, then the RC Book would have a noting of
the new chassis no. Check the state of registration
mentioned in the papers. The state of registration
mentioned in the books should be the state in which you
intend to use the car otherwise you have to get the
registration transferred. Transferring the registration
from one state to another is a cumbersome process and
hence ensure that the seller transfers the registration
to the state in which you plan to use the car.
* Taxation Book (Tax Certificate / TC Book): This
document shows the status of tax paid. The RTO tax is a
once in a lifetime tax and should have been paid by the
original owner of the car. If the owner of the car has
not paid it, it can add up to double digits in
thousands, which you will have to ultimately bear.
* Insurance: Insist on the insurance papers, as these
papers are mandatory for any transfer by the RTO.
Premium for Insurance is paid on a regular basis and it
is advisable to check the due date. Also, ensure
transfer of the insurance papers to your name.
* Invoice: Do not forget to get the original invoice of
the car from the original owner. You can know details
like engine no., chassis no., date of delivery, delivery
dealer and whether the car was financed or not.
* PUC Certificate: Every car needs a valid PUC
certificate. PUC Certificate is valid for a period of 1
year for all new cars and subsequently a certificate has
to obtained every six months.
If you are planning to buy a used car that was bought on
finance by the seller, remember to collect the following
documents in addition to the above mentioned ones.
NOC (No Objection Certificate): NOC issued by the
finance company. This document ensures that the finance
company has no claim on the car anymore.
Form 35: You must keep a copy of this form duly signed
by the financier.
7. Negotiating the price: While negotiating the price
keep in mind the condition of the cars. If the car
requires some immediate repairs such as change of
battery, replacement of tyres, wheel alignment,
suspension etc then reduce the price of the car
accordingly.
8. Transferring ownership: With the sale of the car the
ownership is also changed. The original owner (Transferer)
who is selling the car, must inform the RTO with which
the car was registered about this transfer, by sending a
letter with information about the new owner (Transferee)
within a period of 14 days. In case the new owner falls
in jurisdiction of another RTO, then the owner has to
inform this RTO by sending a similar letter.
The following documents have to be submitted to the RTO
to effect the transfer of ownership of the car:
* Form "TCA" - Intimation of transfer by Transferee
(Buyer)
* Form "TCR" - Intimation of transfer by Transferor
(Seller)
* Form No.29 - Notice of transfer of ownership of
vehicle. This form is used to notify the RTO 'transfer
of ownership' of the car and to obtain confirmation from
the RTO.
* Form No.30 - Report of transfer of ownership of
vehicle.
* Valid Insurance policy
* PUC Certificate
* Address proof of the Transferee (Buyer)
* Evidence of payment of all taxes up-to-date.
* Form No.28 - Application for N.O.C. and grant of
certificate. This form is used to apply for NOC from the
RTO for transfer of the vehicle to another RTO's
jurisdiction. This is required when you shift the
registration of the car from the jurisdiction of one RTO
to another RTO.
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