Go car shopping

Planning to buy a car? Why not try a second-hand one? You might come across a great deal

AS GOOD AS NEW You have the same ambience, service, treatment and finance options at a used car showroom

How would like to have an authentic 1957 Chevrolet or buy a Maruti 800 at knockdown rates? The used car revolution has now reached Mangalore and you can have the car you always only dreamed of.

You don't have to worry about the history of the car, its condition or after sales service; everything is taken care of by the used car dealers. One such outlet is Automart India, a joint venture by the Mahindra Group, HDFC and Sah and Sanghi. Here you can buy and sell any type of car MAVs, SUVs, vans, jeeps, hatchbacks, coupes, sedans and even an odd out-of-market car that might interest a discerning buyer.

"The used car market has to wake up. It is not about washing one's hands of the deal after it's over. When you sell a used car, a new relationship starts — a relationship of trust and confidence. Fortunately that appears to be happening fast as customers in the used car segment are more organised in their choice of vehicles," says R.C. Rodriguez, the Mangalore Franchisee of Automart India. "We refurbish the vehicles after procuring them. This ensures trouble-free performance," he adds.

Getting into this showroom is like entering any other new car showroom. You have the same ambience, service, treatment and finance options. Even the delivery of the vehicle is similar to that of a new car.

Used car buyers are very choosy and rightly so, as they value their money to the last rupee and go only by the condition of the vehicle. It is like dealing with high-end buyers. If you are lucky you can even get a high-end car at a bargain. And if you're selling your old car you can expect the dealer to get you a fair deal.

"I recently got a Mercedes C Class. The owner had to go abroad just months after buying it. He left the black beauty with us after signing the necessary documents. That is the kind of trust customers place in us to get a deal," says Rodriguez.

Transparency is another mantra in the used car market. Customers expect transparency says another used car dealer Rathnakar Shetty.

"Once we sell a car to any customer he should not come back with complaints or difficulties. We sell anything from a Maruti to Mercedes, but very rarely we get the customers who complain about the deal," he says.

M. RAGHURAM

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