Last year before Diwali I decide to book a Honda City for myself. Being my first car I was trying out a lot different options. I test drove the HondaCity Zx and like the car. Then came the other part for deciding on finance and delivery etc. Since the finance deal wasn’t good I decided to get my own finance. I went on a Sunday to book the car with the down payment amount. Decided on the colour. Then came the best part of deciding the accessories.
I asked the sales rep that I would get the accessories from the market, to which he suggested against. His argument Honda uses the best of the stuff and would suggest the customers to buy the accessories from them. I was looking out for Alloys and certain smaller accessories. I decided against putting any in my car. Only the basic stuff like Floor mats, etc.
I requested for a parts list with prices, which they did not have at that moment, so I could not have a look at the expense of maintaining the car.
Since I was booking the Exi variant which come does not have any music system, I suggested to my parents that we will get a good one from the market. The one which Ichibaan was offering costed 18500 for a simple Apline system. They sales rep again suggested that it was best that we took the one Honda provides. I was a bit confused by the remark. Since Honda doesnt provide any Music system with the Exi Variant. I asked to see the system and it was a very basic music MP3 system from Alpine plus 2 speakers.
I argued that I did not like the system and install my own, to which I was told that I would loose my electrical warranty which is standard norm for all brands. I suggested that Ichibaan install a system which I provide. The sales rep said he could not do that.
Since other brands would not have the right connecters etc. I told that if I got him a system which came with the right connecters, and if the product was purchased through the authorised channels why couldn’t they fit the car with the system that I provided. I was simply answered that it was Honda’s policy to only support Alipne. Fixing any system other than that provided by Ichibaan could lead me to loose my electrical warranty.
I had given them a post Dated Check, since I had to select the colour still. The delivery date was approximately 2 months after the launch date of the new HondaCity ZX.
I did not appreciate the monopolistic view taken by Ichibaan. What I could not understand that if Honda wants customers to use an Apline system they might as well package it with the car itself. I later found out a new dealer in Worli area , Arya Honda. I decided to cancel my booking from Ichibaan. Arya told me that they would fit the car with any system that I got them and would not loose any warranty. Also there was no such policy of installing only Alpine systems.
Did not like the approach of the sales rep guys. In the end I did not go for Honda since I decided to settle for a smaller car, but had the dealer been not so monopolistic in his approach, I would be driving a Honda.