Are Sri Lankan Car Buyers Too Conservative?

[Pericles]

Super thought. The south is phenomenally beautiful, rather uncongested and is being developed at the rate of knots. The fact that the roads in the area are world-class is a bonus.

Interesting point on the development. Wonder how the opportunities are? Maybe the port, airport and race track will have some potential?

Fringe benefits of being close to Yala and Bundala too.

[xXx]

I doubt the tax hikes are used as a way to control the importation of motor vehicles. Taxes are raised to cover the budget deficit.

I hope there aren’t any politicians in this forum or they’ll start to use this as an excuse to raise more taxes on imports.

i bet if you gave most people 3.5 million bucks and said, choose between a say an unregistered IST and a brand new grande punto, they'd go for the IST. i would think punto is value for money because its brand new, comes with lots of features, has a full warranty and looks great etc. IST is used and older, who knows what the real milleage is, everyone has one, options are limited, driving experience isn't great etc.

If you give them a set amount at a regular basis for maintenance I’m sure everyone will pick the Punto.

as for D*mos selling all their models, well it just so happens that they are perceived as being the best agents here and mercedes in particular has always had tremendous brand equity sl. thus if you have a bit of cash, a merc would be possibly be top of mind on your luxury car list. also politicians (and we have way too many of them) give d*mos enough of business.

D*MO was just one brand that slipped out from top of my head. What about all the Range Rovers, Cayennes and X5s etc. and when i referred to D*MO I was not only talking about mercs. Heard they are doing very well with both Chrysler and Cherokee too.

leave aside wanting an european brand. hell most are reluctant touch japanese brands apart from toyota and basic nissans.

I’ll let Honda boys have a go at you on this one lol

As I mentioned in my earlier post we are a developing nation so stop comparing SL with a developed nation. What’s next Sri Lankan's have bad taste in fashion because they don't where designer brands. In SL for most people having a car is considered as a luxury. As pilla summed it up buying a cat is more of an investment than a purchase. People would like to convert it back to cash when required. No matter how flashy and how posh a european car look and sound this is a hurdle it’ll always fail to cross in the local market.

[JwesT]

i bet if you gave most people 3.5 million bucks and said, choose between a say an unregistered IST and a brand new grande punto, they'd go for the IST. i would think punto is value for money because its brand new, comes with lots of features, has a full warranty and looks great etc. IST is used and older, who knows what the real milleage is, everyone has one, options are limited, driving experience isn't great etc.

My god mate Fiat punto is absolute rubbish. Its build quality is crap. Feels like a driving a maruti alto.

If u r going for a good european small car go for the new Opel Corsa (vauxhall Corsa). Thats a damn well built small car. Nice interior and very spacious. 1.2L engine gives enough power and good on fuel too.

[JwesT]

I doubt the tax hikes are used as a way to control the importation of motor vehicles. Taxes are raised to cover the budget deficit.

If you give them a set amount at a regular basis for maintenance I’m sure everyone will pick the Punto.

And also free breakdown cover :-))

As I mentioned in my earlier post we are a developing nation so stop comparing SL with a developed nation. What’s next Sri Lankan's have bad taste in fashion because they don't where designer brands. In SL for most people having a car is considered as a luxury. As pilla summed it up buying a cat is more of an investment than a purchase. People would like to convert it back to cash when required. No matter how flashy and how posh a european car look and sound this is a hurdle it’ll always fail to cross in the local market.

People in developed countries can afford the high maintainance cost involved with 'prestige' cars mostly because they have no family commitments as we do in SL. MOST (not all) of the european guys who drive expensive sports cars are living more or less a 'playboy' life where they only had to worry about themselves.

I know some 'average' british families who are much conservative and think about their children's future and things like that and they all look for the reliability, aftersale value, maintainance of their cars over looks or performance. Even in europe its hard work to have a proper family life and own a 'prestige' car for an average person. So its not only in SL that we have this attitude. Our priorities are bit different than most of the europeans! We plan ahead for the next 10, 20 years and save money for those while they plan ways to get pissed every other night!!

[GTAm]

GTAm can you please elaborate more on this comment if not too much of a hassle please list couple of examples

I very good example of this is a problem I have to deal with everyday. I run a small business with 30 workers. And being someone who wants to improve the business I understand that you need to constantly make changes to move forward. However it is the most difficult thing to convince the work force that change is needed. They simply are extremely comfy in the place they are. They are not ambitious and very few will opt to do any extra work in order to earn extra dough. However they would like to earn extra dough by doing the same amount work They don't want change. They want what they are used to even if change will take them forward.

A lot of convincing does the trick eventually but change happens at a much slower pace than I would like. And this is so frustrating.

[GTAm]

don't you think this is why toyota is bulletproof when it comes to reliablity. they stick to what they know and do best. as we discussed in an ealier thread toyota or may i say jap car manufactures master the technology before implementing it oppsoe to their european counterparts. i think this is their unique selling point and it has worked for them in the past and will owrk for many years to come just like some manufacturers are renowned for their performance and styling.

I’m ashamed to say I’m one of them. But I think this is a common human behavior none of us like to be ridiculed in public

Exactly! And that is why ppl feel safe with buying a Toyota even if its the most boring car in the world! First priority is cost of maintenence, second Resale value (even before we consider the pleasure you are supposed to derrive - we are worried about selling the thing). This is all to do with saving money. A buyer in a developed country will have driving pleasure, feel good factor, looks, image or performance as his or her priority.

Also a part of the Toyota reliability thing could also be perception due to hype. Now punters in UK are highly vary about JD Power and other reliability surveys saying that the results are severely skewed. Just look at this new item. Lexus is having their 11th product recall in the UK. http://www.autocar.co.uk/News/NewsArticle/Lexus-GS/229391/

In UK reliability surveys BMW scores very high. However go onto BMW technical forums and you'll see that there are loads of problems.

True none of us like to be ridiculed of laughed at. But in our closed up society it matters a lot more. Just walk around our city and see how people are dressed. Very conservatively we are scared to wear something very different, we are even scared to like it. But walk around a developed city and we would call those ppl crazy!!

[GTAm]

My god mate Fiat punto is absolute rubbish. Its build quality is crap. Feels like a driving a maruti alto.

If u r going for a good european small car go for the new Opel Corsa (vauxhall Corsa). Thats a damn well built small car. Nice interior and very spacious. 1.2L engine gives enough power and good on fuel too.

I can't imagine that you have driven the new Punto mate. I have found it extremely well put together, and nowhere near an Alto I'm shocked at your comparison.

Btw the Corsa is also based on the new Punto platform and they share many common parts, including diesel engines. Anyway the Punto is one of the highly rated B segment cars in Europe and its the best selling for the 1st three quarters of this year. The Corsa hardly made any waves when it was launched.

The Suzuki Swift, Pug 207 and New Clio are all rated higher than the Corsa, not forgetting the excellent new Mazda 2!

[GTAm]

People in developed countries can afford the high maintainance cost involved with 'prestige' cars mostly because they have no family commitments as we do in SL. MOST (not all) of the european guys who drive expensive sports cars are living more or less a 'playboy' life where they only had to worry about themselves.

The BMW 3 series is a top ten seller in Europe. It's the sports saloon/coupe/convertible in many minds. Are you saying that there are millions and millions of playboys in Europe?

[GTAm]

I know some 'average' british families who are much conservative and think about their children's future and things like that and they all look for the reliability, aftersale value, maintainance of their cars over looks or performance. Even in europe its hard work to have a proper family life and own a 'prestige' car for an average person. So its not only in SL that we have this attitude. Our priorities are bit different than most of the europeans! We plan ahead for the next 10, 20 years and save money for those while they plan ways to get pissed every other night!!

And why is the Maruti 800 not the best selling car in Europe?

The fact is in Europe the government has already planned for you. They have thought a lot about the future much more than 10 and 20 years and that's why they are a success today. There is state support for everyone. There are retirement plans, and facilities for everyone. Parents need not slave themselves all their life for their children. There is a system that takes care of that. There are fall back systems, they have thought of almost everything, while we are just fighting among ourselves for decades and getting duped by various politicians falls promises while they make tons of money and enjoy their power. They get pissed every other night (I'm sure you cannot consider the whole population, but just a percentage) because they can afford to do that, and still have a good secure life. We cannot because we can't afford it!

[JwesT]

I can't imagine that you have driven the new Punto mate. I have found it extremely well put together, and nowhere near an Alto I'm shocked at your comparison.

Btw the Corsa is also based on the new Punto platform and they share many common parts, including diesel engines. Anyway the Punto is one of the highly rated B segment cars in Europe and its the best selling for the 1st three quarters of this year. The Corsa hardly made any waves when it was launched.

The Suzuki Swift, Pug 207 and New Clio are all rated higher than the Corsa, not forgetting the excellent new Mazda 2!

Yes I have driven the 2006 punto and its downright rubbish. So many people who drove it agreed with me on that. Have u driven the 2007 Corsa? I don't think so. Its the What car 'car of the year". Drive the new corsa see it for urself mate.

[JwesT]

The BMW 3 series is a top ten seller in Europe. It's the sports saloon/coupe/convertible in many minds. Are you saying that there are millions and millions of playboys in Europe?

U putting bmw 3 in prestige categoty?? man its not prestige (M3 is prestige) in europe even though it is in SL.

No matter what u had to say mate I'm saying these from personal experience. The government here gives student loans and stuff which means once u start working u have to pay it back. A "conservative" family tries to minimise that for the sake of their children's future. And when it comes to their attitude towards cars its similar to any sri lankan. Car is not among their priorities!!

[Ripper]

Yes I have driven the 2006 punto and its downright rubbish. So many people who drove it agreed with me on that. Have u driven the 2007 Corsa? I don't think so. Its the What car 'car of the year". Drive the new corsa see it for urself mate.

mate... i find it very very hard to believe your argument on the Punto Build quality and the driving experience being compare to an Alto.

Can you be more specific in how you say that it compares to an Alto and how the build quality is bad?

[JwesT]

mate... i find it very very hard to believe your argument on the Punto Build quality and the driving experience being compare to an Alto.

Can you be more specific in how you say that it compares to an Alto and how the build quality is bad?

Its all plastic dashboard feels so cheap. even the gauges, seats everything looks soo cheap. The gear lever is so cheaply built i felt as if it might come off if i used excessive force. Its just like the gear lever of the alto. The drive is also not something to admire ! I hate every minute I was in that. I had it for one whole day and did about 100 odd miles. Absolute rubbish mate trust me. I promised myself not to drive any fiat again in my life.

The corsa on the other hand is blody well built. Interior was much better with wood finished (plastic). CD/mp3 player. Very comfortable seats. I didn't even feel like driving a small car. Very good at high speeds as well. I used to hate vauxhall cars until i drove that. Man its unbelievably well buit for a vauxhall. The brand is not very popular amongst the people due to high depreciation of the earlier vauxhalls. But this model is nothing like the earlier versions.

[GTAm]

U putting bmw 3 in prestige categoty?? man its not prestige (M3 is prestige) in europe even though it is in SL.

No matter what u had to say mate I'm saying these from personal experience. The government here gives student loans and stuff which means once u start working u have to pay it back. A "conservative" family tries to minimise that for the sake of their children's future. And when it comes to their attitude towards cars its similar to any sri lankan. Car is not among their priorities!!

Well 3 series is prestige for your info. BMW is a premium brand that charges a premium price. The M3 is the top of the range 3 series and is one great sports saloon. What is non prestige is your gorgeous Vauxhalls and Mondeos mate. Buyers in Europe are turning away from non-prestige. That's why prestige is outselling the ordinary now. That is also the reason why prestige brands are moving into smaller segments. For example - Merc A and B class, 1 series, Audi A2, Volvo C30 etc.

Yeah mate I know the govt. gives student loans and you have to pay it back. But once you get a job it's nothing to pay them back. Besides that there's very little inflation in a developed economy and interest rates are very low. So you'll hardly break a sweat paying that loan. Sri Lanka is at the other end of the scale.

Contrary to your personal experience I am certain that cars are a very high priority in Britain after all its the 2nd largest purchase they make after a house. They are a nation of car enthusiasts. They have the most number of car clubs in the world. They have race tracks througout the country mate. They have motoring events throughout the year. Heck there are guys there who do not ever own a house but own expensive cars. You can read about them in Classic car mags mate. Folk who never bought a house but saved to buy an Aston.

[Ripper]

Its all plastic dashboard feels so cheap. even the gauges, seats everything looks soo cheap. The gear lever is so cheaply built i felt as if it might come off if i used excessive force. Its just like the gear lever of the alto. The drive is also not something to admire ! I hate every minute I was in that. I had it for one whole day and did about 100 odd miles. Absolute rubbish mate trust me. I promised myself not to drive any fiat again in my life.

The corsa on the other hand is blody well built. Interior was much better with wood finished (plastic). CD/mp3 player. Very comfortable seats. I didn't even feel like driving a small car. Very good at high speeds as well. I used to hate vauxhall cars until i drove that. Man its unbelievably well buit for a vauxhall. The brand is not very popular amongst the people due to high depreciation of the earlier vauxhalls. But this model is nothing like the earlier versions.

just to clarify mate... is this a Grande Punto or the earlier Punto?

I've not driven the Grande Punto but have seen it in the showroom many times...up close and personal

have gone shotgun in it

For one...the seats are very comfy and it's nowhere near an alto...even the designs are much nicer...

The gear levers are nicely positioned and works very well with the dash and the driving position... The interior was quite cool with a Blaupunkt sound system etc

Checked the corsa on the web and must say it the interior looks pretty good...but that's the 2007 model... if i'm not wrong i think even the grande punto came out in 2004 or 2005...so this corsa has 2 years of advancement over the punto...

a little review about the grande punto

http://www.topspeed.com/cars/fiat/fiat-gra...nto-ar3374.html

And the corsa

http://www.autospectator.com/cars/opelvaux...all-car-segment

And another fiat to checkout would be the Bravo

http://www.autospectator.com/cars/models/0...2007-fiat-bravo

I still don't agree with you saying the punto is like the Alto but hey...that's your opinion

cheers mate

Ripper O&O

Edited December 5, 2007 by Ripper

[GTAm]

Yes I have driven the 2006 punto and its downright rubbish. So many people who drove it agreed with me on that. Have u driven the 2007 Corsa? I don't think so. Its the What car 'car of the year". Drive the new corsa see it for urself mate.

Well I have to admit I have not driven the new Corsa as its not available in SL. It could well be that the interior quality of the Corsa is slightly better. But I find it impossible to believe your statement that the Punto is "dowright rubbish" , when CAR magazine's verdict is "The Best Supermini on Sale" They give it 4 stars vs 3 for the Corsa.

Let me also remind you that "What Car" is a consumer magazine and not an enthusiasts' magazine. The enthusiasts' arm of "What Car" is "Autocar"! And I just checked their tests on it to make sure that I wasn't missing something here! But their tests also talk about how great the car is with the only flaw being lack of steering feel which I fully agree with. Both cars are rated with 4 stars .

What's really scary is that you compare the Punto to the Maruti Alto. I am 100% certain any member in this forum who has simply sat in both cars will disagree totally!

[GTAm]

Its all plastic dashboard feels so cheap. even the gauges, seats everything looks soo cheap. The gear lever is so cheaply built i felt as if it might come off if i used excessive force. Its just like the gear lever of the alto. The drive is also not something to admire ! I hate every minute I w as in that. I had it for one whole day and did about 100 odd miles. Absolute rubbish mate trust me. I promised myself not to drive any fiat again in my life.

The corsa on the other hand is blody well built. Interior was much better with wood finished (plastic). CD/mp3 player. Very comfortable seats. I didn't even feel like driving a small car. Very good at high speeds as well. I used to hate vauxhall cars until i drove that. Man its unbelievably well buit for a vauxhall. The brand is not very popular amongst the people due to high depreciation of the earlier vauxhalls. But this model is nothing like the earlier versions.

Aha so you were impressed with the MP3 player ! Where do you live? You say that the brand is not very popular ????? I thought you lived in the UK!? No? To my knowledge Vauxhall has been the brand with the second highest market share in the UK after Ford.

Mate I like to trust you......but I can't !!

[The Don]

Well 3 series is prestige for your info. BMW is a premium brand that charges a premium price. The M3 is the top of the range 3 series and is one great sports saloon. What is non prestige is your gorgeous Vauxhalls and Mondeos mate. Buyers in Europe are turning away from non-prestige. That's why prestige is outselling the ordinary now. That is also the reason why prestige brands are moving into smaller segments. For example - Merc A and B class, 1 series, Audi A2, Volvo C30 etc.

Yeah mate I know the govt. gives student loans and you have to pay it back. But once you get a job it's nothing to pay them back. Besides that there's very little inflation in a developed economy and interest rates are very low. So you'll hardly break a sweat paying that loan. Sri Lanka is at the other end of the scale.

Contrary to your personal experience I am certain that cars are a very high priority in Britain after all its the 2nd largest purchase they make after a house. They are a nation of car enthusiasts. They have the most number of car clubs in the world. They have race tracks througout the country mate. They have motoring events throughout the year. Heck there are guys there who do not ever own a house but own expensive cars. You can read about them in Classic car mags mate. Folk who never bought a house but saved to buy an Aston.

Sadly GTAm this is one occasion I sadly have to disagree with you on a number of facts, and actually agree with JWest.

I think JWest is quite right in his characterization of the average British Car buyer. And I believe the priorities of that segment are reliability, maintenance costs and resale value.

It is true that Britain is a country of car enthusiasts, but then again so is Sri Lanka. But often this manifests in a second car of sorts meant for track days etc. But this country is rules by Vauxhall Corsa's Ford Mondeo's Focuses and so on, which I would admit are very good cars, but I disagree that people buy them purely because they are car enthusiasts. These cars are brought by people because of their reliability, value for money, and cheap maintenance more than anything else, though it is true that the european buying public expect more bells and whistles for their money.

And as for student loans and paying them back etc, I do not think the average student over here who funds their education using a student loan would agree with that either. Having been forced to pay 3 times the money local students pay even I found it surprising, but a lot of students find it very difficult to fund themselves and get through life. A lot of people do not consider higher education as a result as well, and student debts are at astronomical levels. You must remember that a lot of these students have a higher cost of living due to wanting to live independently, and factors like that and others have contributed to what is a going problem. I am not making these things up but am basing this on a number of government reports which came out this year.

I am sure there are ones who don't buy a house and save for an Aston Martin, but those people are certainly in the minority. Parents in the UK like all parents around the world base their priorities on their children, and often make sacrifices in the form of driving more modest cars to make sure they have the best in life. They might be British but we are in the end all human beings. And this I base on my first hand experiences with people all around me.

With regards to the new Punto, I must say I haven't driven the 2007 version but I have driven the 2006 and found it to not to be to my liking. The problems I had were instability during high speeds, and cornering, and found the same generation Corsa to be a much better and stable car to be honest. I have driven the focus and if the Fiesta is anything like that its probably superior to both these cars. This is obviously a subjective opinion, but an opinion never the less.

And I do not understand or agree with your logic of people turning away from Vauxhall, Ford and turning to what you consider prestige brands. The facts is that cars are aimed at different segments of the market. The Ford Mondeo is not in direct competition with the 3 series, and I see no evidence to suggest people are shying away from Brands like Ford and Vauxhall and embracing what you refer to as prestige brands, BMW Audi and Mercedes Benz.

These brands have existed side by side, done very well in their market segments and that would continue to be the case. There will always be a market for bread and butter motoring which is what the Mondeo stands for. The only thing that has happened is cars like the Ford Mondeo now feature equipment levels on par with some of these prestige brands, so they have raised the bar on what is now considered bread and butter motoring.

Britain's most trusted automotive brand continues to be Ford for many years running, followed by Vauxhall GM, Pugeot Ctroen PSA, Fiat, Renault etc according to the top gear survey on the matter (I might have got the order wrong, though I know Ford topped the list again). I think the facts and figures speak for themselves to characterize the British public.

[GTAm]

Hey Don the topic is are Sri Lankans too conservative when buying cars. And I think they are compared to their British counterparts. Remember we are speaking relative to the rest of the world.

If you are basing your argument on facts then you should know that the the premium brands of the D segment has been steadily eating into Mondeo man. Just like what happend to the E segment.

If people like Fords and Vauxhalls so much, where is the Omega and Scorpio? They are dead and were killed by the 5 series and A6.

The same fate awaits the D segment. 3 series/A4 and C class sales keep eating into Vectra/Mondeo/Laguna. And so it is direct competition. (The world has got richer don't forget .) It has been doing that since the 90's - please check the sales trends. This is why Ford bought Jaguar/Volvo/LR and why GM bought Saab. Sadly they mismanaged most of it and did not make it work optimally. Besides they are both now in Financial Crisis. There is a huge hue and cry about Ford wanting to sell Jaguar and LR with industry experts saying that what Ford should be selling instead is "FORD" ! Why is that? Because bread and butter is over. Now they want chocolate and cake and whatever. Premium is the new ordinary. The trend could change but it does not look like it's going to in the near future. Please check the sales trend data. I will try to look for it too.

Why has interior quality gone up so much in the last decade? Because that's a measure of "premium feel" and people are hungry for it. VW started it in the non premium sector. And now everyone is onto it. Which brings me to the Golf. One of the best selling cars in Europe. It's premium in that segment. It more costly than the Focus/Astra/308/Civic etc. but people pay extra.

Oh I'm sure students might find it hard to pay their loans, but could you even compare a student there with a student in SL? Forget the small upper/middle class minority in Colombo. Can a student in rural SL even consider a car, let alone be adventurous? But a student in UK can consider an Fiesta ST or an old 325i. They don't need to stick with a newer Corolla GL even if that will save them a bit. So because they are richer they can afford to be adventurous about their purchases.

Secondly talking about numbers.....I don't have them but I'm willing to bet anything that buyers in the UK have a load more access to information and so use it a lot more than their counterparts in SL. (Example - if you don't know english you cannot be on this forum). Think of the number of news papers, magazines and TV programmes in the UK compared with SL. Now think of the content. This makes them a LOT better informed to make a purchase decision than our folk over here. When we have minimal info we'll always go with the safe bet and avoid gambling. To add to that we don't have money to give us confidence to take a gamble.

So Sri Lankans are conservative IMHO when compared with developed countries and there are reasons for that. Sri Lankans a nation of car enthusiasts ????? If we try hard enough we could name all the enthusiasts in our country. There are a handful of clubs with membership rarely running into 3 figures. Most if not all of them based in Colombo. There maybe a lot of potential car enthusiasts, yeah but that's about a couple of generations away !!

You're absolutely right we are talking about human beings whether Brit or SLs. But human beings have needs (personal transport - car) and after they've had that they'll want style, individualism, image etc. That's when they want more than just a car, they want a BMW or a Ferrari and that's just human .

The current Punto was launched in 2006. And yes the previous model was very ordinary and that is why we chose a Peugeot 206 over it when we had a choice. However the current Punto is highly rated and is a massive hit across Europe and you simply cannot compare it with a Maruti Alto which is a few generations older, a segment lower and is built in India who have yet not matched the quality levels of Europe and Japan.

Once again pls understand that yes reliability, resale value etc might be important factors but a buyer in the UK can be a lot more adventurous than a buyer in SL. Apart from the the money factor IMO most Sri Lankans are conservative anyway (again look at the way we dress - hey and not just ppl in Colombo - look at the country as a whole) thanks to our closed up culture.

[Pericles]

And I do not understand or agree with your logic of people turning away from Vauxhall, Ford and turning to what you consider prestige brands. The facts is that cars are aimed at different segments of the market. The Ford Mondeo is not in direct competition with the 3 series, and I see no evidence to suggest people are shying away from Brands like Ford and Vauxhall and embracing what you refer to as prestige brands, BMW Audi and Mercedes Benz.

Actually, Top Gear mentioned that the 3 outsells the Mondeo now when Hammond reviewed the 3. The opinion was that people are moving out of the ordinary and becoming more demanding consumers asking for better brands, like designer clothes instead of M&S. Thats the only view I have to go on coz there is no other way for me to check out the scene and get my own opinion. So my view is the same as GTAm on this.

[The Don]

GTAm, after reading your comments, maybe the issue that is of most relevant to the discussion here is what is Conservative.

Is conservative not willing to change ? is it inheriting car buying trends from the previous generation or is it the reasons for which a car is purchased.

In reality GTAm your analysis could be looked at from a different perspective. You say premium has become the new ordinary, but it could be looked at in reverse as well. As I mentioned before, there is a trend amongst so called ordinary manufacturers to offer premium features in their cars. Also the premium manufacturers have been coming up with new models to appeal to a mainstream audience. Indeed its the manufacturers who have changed strategy not the people who buy them as you suggest.

The point I was simply trying to make was I do not think Sri Lankan buyers are more or less conservative than purchasers anywhere else. I base this purely on the assumption what defines conservatism or liberal here is the reasons which influences car purchase. I do not think it is fair to rely on brands for a conclusion simply because its affected by external factors.

For example in Africa you find a lot of Mercedes Benz cars, and is that an indicator there that car buyers are driven by premium brands.

In Iran you and countries in that part of the world, you will see the roads are full of Peugeot's, does that mean Peugeot is the best car for Iran ?

In reality Mercedes Benzes are very easy to keep and maintain in many countries in Africa simply because of the large numbers, and Peugeot's manufactures cars in Iran, and since the country is under international sanctions owning and maintaining Peugeot's are easy and cheap.

So I think before coming to any conclusions about car buying trends in any country one must also look at these external factors.

You are right GTAm, people always want as much as possible for their money. If people have the opportunity to own and maintain what you refer to as a premium car within what they can afford sensibly I am sure that is exactly what most people will do. But that is because it is within their grasp. It does not mean the buyer is conservative or liberal. And most people I know see a difference between their need to get from A-B cheaply and efficiently vs driving pleasure. This is not a Sri Lankan trend.

There will always be bread and butter motoring and premium motoring, it is quite possible premium manufacturers would try to invade the bread and butter market, but brands do not decide the market, people do.

I mean there are a lot of Japanese cars in SL, and people buy them because it makes sense to do so. The relative popularity of those vehicles, their suitability to our road conditions, the free availability of spares, and used body parts etc has made these cars the choice of many in SL. Also our stupid tax structure makes European vehicles very expensive due to their higher RRP, though in reality these cars suffer the highest depreciation and become within the grasp of most middle class individuals within 3-5 years. These are trends not initiated by the car buying public but dictated on them by public policy.

So I do not think the Sri Lankans are not so different from the Brits, or anybody else in the world in making their choices in cars. I think its simply a combination of factors which are beyond their control which has contributed to the car buying trends in Sri Lanka.

Having said that I think brands like Toyota Honda and Nissan are successful in European markets as well, their average customer in different markets might be different (for example a lot of Civics are driven by pensioners in the UK !!) but the fact that they retain their value very well is testament to their popularity. So what does that say about other automotive markets ?.

I am yet to drive the new Grande Punto, but my criticism of the previous model is not quite shared by the general motor buying public, as that car was a best seller as well. Incidentally I am not the greatest fan of the 206 either, as its very difficult to get in to a comfortable driving position in that car, though in fact it was the best selling car in that segment, but if you count in fleet purchases the Ford Fiesta leads that segment.

[JwesT]

just to clarify mate... is this a Grande Punto or the earlier Punto?

I've not driven the Grande Punto but have seen it in the showroom many times...up close and personal

have gone shotgun in it

For one...the seats are very comfy and it's nowhere near an alto...even the designs are much nicer...

The gear levers are nicely positioned and works very well with the dash and the driving position... The interior was quite cool with a Blaupunkt sound system etc

Checked the corsa on the web and must say it the interior looks pretty good...but that's the 2007 model... if i'm not wrong i think even the grande punto came out in 2004 or 2005...so this corsa has 2 years of advancement over the punto...

a little review about the grande punto

http://www.topspeed.com/cars/fiat/fiat-gra...nto-ar3374.html

And the corsa

http://www.autospectator.com/cars/opelvaux...all-car-segment

And another fiat to checkout would be the Bravo

http://www.autospectator.com/cars/models/0...2007-fiat-bravo

I still don't agree with you saying the punto is like the Alto but hey...that's your opinion

cheers mate

Ripper O&O

I don't know if its Grand punto or not but its a 2006 model Punto. It had a 1.2L engine.

One of my friends has a 1998 punto which breaks down every other day. He mostly travel in the AA's Ford Transit:-))

Machan check fifth gear and parkers.co.uk for car reviews. They are quite good too.

Cheers

And for u GTAM keep on reading ur little fairy tales and live in ur own imaginary world. I don't have time for u mate.. Both Don and Me live in the UK and we talk from first hand experience. its up to the public to decide.

Edited December 5, 2007 by JwesT

[JwesT]

Well 3 series is prestige for your info. BMW is a premium brand that charges a premium price. The M3 is the top of the range 3 series and is one great sports saloon. What is non prestige is your gorgeous Vauxhalls and Mondeos mate. Buyers in Europe are turning away from non-prestige. That's why prestige is outselling the ordinary now. That is also the reason why prestige brands are moving into smaller segments. For example - Merc A and B class, 1 series, Audi A2, Volvo C30 etc.

Yeah mate I know the govt. gives student loans and you have to pay it back. But once you get a job it's nothing to pay them back. Besides that there's very little inflation in a developed economy and interest rates are very low. So you'll hardly break a sweat paying that loan. Sri Lanka is at the other end of the scale.

Contrary to your personal experience I am certain that cars are a very high priority in Britain after all its the 2nd largest purchase they make after a house. They are a nation of car enthusiasts. They have the most number of car clubs in the world. They have race tracks througout the country mate. They have motoring events throughout the year. Heck there are guys there who do not ever own a house but own expensive cars. You can read about them in Classic car mags mate. Folk who never bought a house but saved to buy an Aston.

How many jobs did u do in the UK to tell me its nothing to pay back the student's loan?? or Is it also from that ittle fairy tale ur mom used to read for ur bedtime?

Quite a number of people don't go to universities after their ALs because of the loan thing.. Paying back loan ain't no joke mate.

A student can afford a BMW 325I.. r u kidding me?? man u better start reading some other books from today onwards bcus those stuff u read ain't no good.. BMW 318I itself is in 12 -13 insurance category which means for a 22 year old its gonna be about £2000 premium per year regardless of the value of the car. And tax gonna be close to £200 per year. U don't know shit what u on about mate.

U r telling me what its like to live here now huh?? U gotta be joking man!! I really don't have time for this shit man. I just laugh when I read ur posts.. keep em coming, atleast I have something to read and laugh after I come home from work..

And about the comparison with alto, actually its a disrespect for the alto bcus its more reliable than the blody punto!! :-)

Edited December 5, 2007 by JwesT

[JwesT]

Aha so you were impressed with the MP3 player ! Where do you live? You say that the brand is not very popular ????? I thought you lived in the UK!? No? To my knowledge Vauxhall has been the brand with the second highest market share in the UK after Ford.

Mate I like to trust you......but I can't !!

Whether u believe me or not I don't give a shit. thats the truth. vauxhall has high depreciation. Any one from UK will confirm that.

[JwesT]

I can't imagine that you have driven the new Punto mate. I have found it extremely well put together, and nowhere near an Alto I'm shocked at your comparison.

Btw the Corsa is also based on the new Punto platform and they share many common parts, including diesel engines. Anyway the Punto is one of the highly rated B segment cars in Europe and its the best selling for the 1st three quarters of this year. The Corsa hardly made any waves when it was launched.

The Suzuki Swift, Pug 207 and New Clio are all rated higher than the Corsa, not forgetting the excellent new Mazda 2!

For ur information I've driven the New Clio as well. Its better than Punto but not as good as the Corsa.. Haven't driven a Mazda 2 yet. This is not only my personal opinion. quite a number of people I've talked to rated the new Corsa above Punto and they all said "Punto is not a good car". They didn't say its rubbish though...