Czech auto maker Skoda Auto announced its entry into the Indian used car market with its pre-owned cars. Company vehicles bought under their Certified Pre-Owned’ program will be assured with a manufacturer’s warranty for 24 months or 1,50,000 kms, whichever is first. The company will give attractive bonuses upon exchange of an old vehicle and purchase of a new Skoda model. However, the company will provide warranty on a non-Skoda vehicle as well, though it will be lesser. This project will be titled “India 2.0” by the auto company, its parent being Volkswagen.
Where will it be available?
This will be a new chapter in the history of Skoda in India. At present, it is available across 9 Indian cities, but the program will reach out to all parts of India in a year. These 9 cities are as follows:
- Mumbai
- Delhi NCR
- Surat
- Jaipur
- Ahmedabad
- Coimbatore
Skoda’s strategy
Cars will be evaluated by trained professionals by testing more than 160 parameters. The availability of multibrand vehicles is at an all time high at present and Skoda wants to ensure that all its customers get hassle free mobility solutions. In addition to these, Skoda will offer complementary ownership document transfers, along with mileage assurance certificates, complete service history, and other facilities. The company’s website supports virtual product demonstrations across video conferencing for smartphones, personal computers, and tablets.
Others in the market
Although the organized players constitute 12% of the entire used car market in India, buying from them is a welcome propositionin the long term. There will be very chances of tampered odometers and other manipulations, and vehicles would be made to go through elaborate checks.
Alongside Skoda, there are other manufacturers who have already been selling their own used cars in India. These include:
- Maruti True Value
- Tata Motors Assured
- Toyota U Trust
- Hyundai- H-Promise
- Mahindra First Choice
As per reports, the traffic on Mahindra First Choice websites has been increasing since the beginning of 2020, along with other websites such as Car and Bike. Medium and long term outlooks for used cars look pretty good so far due to the following reasons:
- Price-value equation
- Increased focus on hygiene and safety
- Better quality of vehicles
Non-affiliated multibrand used car businesses also appear to be prospering this year. Companies such as www.puranicar.com seem to be offering a wealth of options to customers.
2022 will be a big year for used cars
According to German car manufacturer Volkswagen, 2022 will be a major year for the company, as it expects the used car market to double. The company believes more and more people will have faith on organized used car companies and start buy from them. Quality of checks for new cars will be the same as the used ones. India is rapidly progressing towards individual mobility, and this is certainly a step in the right direction.
- BMW Premium Selection
- Mercedes Benz Certified