Four per cent of the Maruti Suzuki Swift bookings get cancelled

Maruti Suzuki seems to experience the sandwiched feeling now. The auto major may have resolved the labor issues (for time being) and announced commencement of production, it is not enough to retain the customers who earnestly waited for the new Swift and booked the car much before it was even launched.

It’s been three months past the launch of the new 2011 Swift but still there aren’t many Swifts kissing the roads and the customers are told they may have to wait for longer to own her especially the Diesel Swift. The new bookings will have to wait for 8 months and more and older bookings are still not cleared.

And the auto maker giant faces pinch of its labor issue through order cancellation from prospective buyers; more than 4% of the prospective Swift buyers have gone ahead and cancelled their orders just because of the huge waiting that comes with it.

What could be even more painful for the car major is that the customers who have cancelled their Swift bookings are opting for Maruti’s competitive brands including Toyota, VW and Ford for the Etios Liva, Polo diesel and the Ford Figo diesel models.

Swift reigns (despite the cancellation it would still reign the hatchback diesel segment) supremacy as the largest selling premium hatch and the company boasted of over 80,000 pre-launch bookings for the new Swift. Now buyers are waiting for over 3-8 months time depending on diesel or petrol versions to own the new Swift.

Labor strikes at Manesar plant had hugely impacted the production and the petrol version takes beating of giving waiting for 18-24 weeks, and the diesel waiting crossing 26 weeks.

During August and September the company hasn’t delivered Swifts and this prompted even loyal Swift lovers to shift gears to VW Polo, Figo diesel or Toyota Liva. There are a few prospective buyers who stuck to Maruti by opting for Maruti Ritz and Wagon R. The pain for the Maruti proves to be gain for the rival car companies who are throwing good festival discount offers to lure the customers and also Swift lovers.

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