Before Buying Activa Honda - Take care of these tips
So you want to buy Activa Honda?
You plan Rs. 50000, but they extract Rs. 60,000 from you. You pay with little grudge the extra amount.
This is what happened with me.
Minimize your cost
Tax & VAT
Remember everything you buy will attract tax & vat of around 15% or more. So if you skip an accessory of Rs. 100 then you've saved Rs. 115 actually.
Call all service centers
There can be difference of Rs. 3-4000 among the showrooms. Just call all of them and ask for quotation. Also don't forget to tell your location to distant showrooms so that they can give you extra discount for coming that far to buy and also skipping nearby ones.
Don't take accessories
It will cost some Rs. 5000 or 10% of your Activa. The same is available at 50% discount at any other 2-wheeler spare part shop. But buy the side stand of Activa as it could be of better quality. Front side box is not required as it reduces space. Just avoid it.
Never go for Teflon coating. It is a gimmick.
Insurance Cost
They will charge you around 2.5-3% of vehicle cost for comprehensive insurance. It is not needed. Just 3 party one with around Rs. 500 is sufficient. Remember in India nobody steals the Scooty. All thieves go for bikes(Even in UP, Bihar).
Don't forget to change the insurance during renewal to cheaper one.
Extended Insurance Trap
Yes, they will give you for around Rs. 700 another 3 years warranty. But it is a trap. It is actually an Insurance from company like National Insurance etc. Your extended warranty is not valid if you can't follow these points:
- You must keep the proof of every service
- Every service must be done only at authorized service centers
- The very first service must be done before 250 Kms
- Gap between two services must not exceed more than 4000 Kms or 4 months
Register the vehicle yourself
Yes now a days the vehicle registration has been computerized, you can fill the form and apply online. My father did this himself If you have time, you can do it yourself. It will save around Rs. 1000 as service & bribe charges by the Honda dealer.
Lottery draw if you buy all accessories
Never get into such gimmicks. In all cases you lose and the showroom makes money.
How the Showroom makes money
To sum it up these are the ways the showroom makes cool money. In everything you pay they have a commission. Be it comprehensive insurance, extended warranty they make money:
- Teflon coating & the accessories
- Comprehensive insurance
- Extended warranty
- Registration bribe and service charges.
- Lottery draw will make you buy which you don't even want to
Take Care of this
Before buying also make note of these
- Make sure the tires grip is good. Ask them options for tires. I chose the TVS one, skipping two others. Remember now a days these companies are giving you cheapest tyre they can get in the market. I suggest you sell them and buy good grip tyres. These tyres become smooth and risky within 10000 KM. You will easily get skidded with these cheap tyres.
- Whatever you instruct the sales person - make a note and get his/her signature. Otherwise they may force you to pay for Teflon coating etc even you decide not to go for.
- You are given a schedule for free service. Only delay up to 1 day is allowed otherwise your warranty will lapse. Make sure you get it service before 3-4 days of it's scheduled date.
- Ask them to make invoice only during the day of delivery. If you're paying advance or by Cheque - they will force you invoice it immediately. Just say no.
- Check the mirrors are correctly aligned.
- Don't go for Mahuratam or auspicious time of delivery. My wife set it for me and the time was running out which resulted me to leave all issues and take delivery of the vehicle. I could not even quarrel for Teflon coating which did not want and also told the sales person many times.
- Avoid Pooja and if still you want to go for it then decide a cheaper temple nearby and limit your expenses on it.
Please don't forget to narrate your experience below in comments
