What you can do about car price hikes | ThisConnect Ep 05

[@angadwasu7084]

I'm addicted to these podcasts. A day doesn't go by where after work ends, I don't listen to these two talk for 35-40 minutes straight, and enjoy every moment of it. You guys need to post more often. I don't know how you'll do it, but you need to.

[@motorinc]

Thank you Angad! We're after meaning and not frequency... so more often for podcasts? It's not on the immediate agenda

[@ageless1003]

@@motorinc great thinking. We need value content. Not mindless blabbering.

[@aravind1264]

"This is the last episode of" that pause gave me a heart attack...

[@motorinc]

We think Shumi did that totally intentionally! Gave us a scare too!

[@aravind1264]

@@motorinc 🤣🤣🤣🤣 I guess even Singhe might have got one in this case.

[@sushruttalekar]

Well, that pause worked really well😅

[@SivakumarJayaramanplus]

People such as myself, who expect this from Shumi .. We are the "paavam", because once he might say it real and at that point, we might not take it seriously

[@anandshyam6744]

Usually I listen to podcasts at 1.75x speed. This one I listen to at normal speed because each pause, sigh and laugh is so much fun to listen to. Top class content as always. Please don't change anything from this format. Now adding my two cents to the topic. The point we could have added is the zero discount policy at dealerships. Cars are sold at full fat prices. Mahindra can be called the Mavericks in this move. Create hype, introduce scarecity and Boom, nobody wants discounts anymore. Pure genius move! There was an interesting video about tax saving during car purchase by a CA explaining how you can buy Fortuner for half the price. I think his name is Sahil. If you are a business owner it's always a good time to purchase cars as you can take full advantage of depreciation gst and other benefits. But private car buyers are in a soup as most won't be getting any such benefits. Now suggestions for future episode. Since both of you have travelled extensively, a podcast about Roadtrips in India will be great. Do's & Don'ts, suggestions, pitfalls, risks can be very informative.

[@motorinc]

Hey Anand! Yes, we missed talking about discounts! Those aren’t coming too often now. And thank you for the podcast suggestion!

[@TarunChoudhry]

Great discussion and we are getting used to this with each podcast. One point that bothers me in pricing of cars today is the very fact that the features on offer in different variants are not as pricy (individually) as they sum up to become in the car's overall pricing. For example, a base model of Hyundai Creta is at 12 lacs on road in Delhi however, the top model is about 21 and some change. No matter what the changes are made to the engine, the automatic climate control, the touch screen etc, it is difficult to digest that 9-10 lacs worth features are added to the vehicle. Does it make sense to buy a base or a little higher variant and then add features such as infotainment system, better alloys and tires etc. I happened to invest in a car detailing workshop for two years and for a reason exited the work.. but what i noticed was strange ways of people trying to deal with the prices of cars during showroom purchase. Many of them lifted base models and invested just 50% of overall price difference between their car and the top variant to bring it to that level. Have you heard of marketplaces such as Karol Bagh at Delhi, where there are guys using hoardings "Apni LX model ko SX (O) banwayein".. And kid you not, many upgrades are worthy quality products. To be honest, a passing by Creta, no matter what the variant is still a Creta for the onlooker. Which features are worth going for and which variant is the best value.. that's also a debate. P.S. You told me I could post a longer comment

[@motorinc]

Long comments are the best! The question you're asking is super relevant Tarun. The reason why there isn't a clear answer is because the logic for which variant to get varies from buyer to buyer. Think about it, no car in India should have a sun roof -- we're a hot country and having glass in the roof makes temperature control worse! There's no logic to the popularity of sunroofs. But they're considered essential in the luxury end of variant spreads, and not because people keep wanting to air their kids out. But if we remember right, usually 1-2 models below the absolute top lies the one with a reasonable spread of features and an agreeable price hike

[@msrsooraj]

I genuinely believe that this is something that needs to be called out more. The price tags on some of the cars in the upper end of the spectrum makes very little sense. It is rather counter intuitive that in a market that is so -price- value conscious, the higher variants are selling just as well as the base variants. So I'm not entirely sure if its the manufacturers that need to be blamed or the public that enables this behavior. Me? I just want the biggest engine on offer in the cheapest variant.

[@ontheroad8149]

@@msrsooraj precisely. The XUV700 AX5 Petrol MT is what I'd go for. That 2L mStallion! 🤑

[@ashishpeddada7469]

I think on a fundamental level, manufacturers know this very well, because someone who is now going for a creta might have had something like a swift or something in the past, if you basically buy the base model of any car , what do you get ? As opposed to an old swift ? A bigger car, a newer engine and that’s literally about it ! Sure it can be argued that it’s worth getting that much in itself , but when you do she’ll out for a new car most people tend to keep them for 7-8 years at least ! And I think we sort of end up justifying in our minds that , okay if we buy the top of the line one , it will be future proof ! And Karol Bagh makes sense ofcourse, but for 90 percent of the people, I think they’d be afraid of losing their warranties so they just end up specing it to the gills at the dealer. And ofcourse the other trend thank goodness which is slowly changing nowadays is safety features….. you can’t install additional airbags in Karol bagh …. You can’t get ventilated seats again in Karol Bagh , and not to mention the hassle of and fear which comes with getting your car opened for many installations ! Your argument does make sense ! But yes, I think in the real world most people do end up opting for peace of mind than money, and the manufacturers take full advantage of that !!! 😂

[@daksh_saroha]

23:44 "today cars last well". I personally feel that that's not the case. The planned obsolescence is evident in the quality of parts used in cars and bikes today. I feel that they don't make it like they used to. Yes, there is positive development of features and technology; but the overall quality of parts, especially from the longevity point of view, has gone down dramatically. Especially in budget cars.

[@motorinc]

All right... explain? Why do you think today's budget cars seem to have planned obsolescence built in?

[@nishaadjoshi605]

This was a really...mischievous episode if I may say? Saw the goofy side of Shumi, which I haven't seen a lot. Loved it, love the banter between the two of you

[@motorinc]

Thank you 🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽🖖🏽

[@thesuperbikesaga765]

Ohh yes. Shumi was already in 31st Dec celebration mood 😃

[@SivakumarJayaramanplus]

Realist Vs Optimist - this is a great start and summary...

[@motorinc]

Cheers!

[@muthanna123]

My god! ThisConnect is getting better every episode❤ The ending was mega.. it was like how we have a conversation with our friends.. so relatable ❤❤

[@motorinc]

Lovely! Stay tuned! We're revving up the next episode!

[@sanmaan13]

Wonderful episode, and one of my favourite topics of all time - economy and inflation. While we all know that prices are never going to come down because that isn't how the economics of things work, I think an important observation to make would be understanding the value received in return. A simple example of that would be to look at the memory storage industry. Year over year, the prices of Hard-disks or SSDs have remained constant but what has massively changed is the storage capacity we get at the price point. 10 years back, for $50 you'd get 50 GB but now for $ 60 you get 500 GB kind of thing. Similar for CPUs and GPUs and most other products. So yes, the price went up $ 10 but the value received in return has gone up exponentially. Translating this to automotive world, while the prices of cars are going up, the value we receive in return has been improving drastically as well. Safer cars, better technology, cleaner engines, nicer designs - all of these are valuable things. If Honda was to launch a variant of City at 2008 price with tech and safety standards from 2008, no one would probably buy it because you value your own safety and modern creature comforts more than the price hike that the 2022 model has. You folks touched upon this aspect of things, but I think it does merit a discussion on what our expectations are as buyers of automobiles. Looking forward to see more of such insightful conversations in 2023!

[@motorinc]

Thanks Sanmaan! What a wonderful way to show the time-value curve. And good topic suggestion too!

[@godwheels9073]

The way Shumi carries himself, the way he talks, his voice, the way his jaw moves when he does too. I want to be a Shumi when I grow old as a man. Shumi fanboy*

[@motorinc]

Arrey arrey! 🤣

[@MrPsvkrishna]

Nice set. Also your helmets and shumi's bike parked. Shumi never keeps the helmet that high, unless he is pretty sure it won't fall off. That's weird in this visual.

[@motorinc]

Haha! He's very careful with those for sure. Lucky that shelf passed his inspection...

[@TheRoamingDelhiite]

Buying a car and house, will become next to impossible in a few years! honestly! and supply deficit has caused the second's market price to rise so much that some second cars are sold at showroom price almost!

[@motorinc]

Sellers market!Also, the taxes - direct and indirect make it all the more expensive.

[@1602parag]

The government is more responsible for price hikes. Taxes are going up on auto parts as well as insurances. One more thing which adds up to the ownership cost is the road conditions and dreadful public transport. In India, owning a vehicle is still an expensive proposition. There will be a point in time when the next gen will be forced to use public transport.

[@motorinc]

You know if we did get world class public transport, this would actually help everybody!

[@jijopvarkey]

How much I enjoy this series is unreal. Thank you for making content that is knowledge building, interesting and genuine.

[@racechassis]

Y'all are pedlers of good/important/eye-opening conversations. I'm hooked. Please keep at it . ❤️❤️

[@motorinc]

Thank you for watching! And for the ❤️!

[@sangeethsankar4823]

Wonderful ! After listening to ‘Talking cars’ in Malayalam, I always wished to watch similar contents in English so that a larger audience in India will get benefited. Now you guys, the topmost auto journalists are doing it!

[@motorinc]

Thanks Sangeeth! Would you like to suggest podcast topics you'd like to hear?

[@2shar244]

happy to have found this channel and Shumi back

[@motorinc]

Welcome to the MotorInc family!

[@thesuperbikesaga765]

Revisit 1: The Awkward Pause and Wheelie start: - The purposeful pause of Shumi must have put most of the viewers and Kathikeya's heart skip a couple of beats like the sequential gearbox of a car. And then he puts in a clause which acts as a defibrillator for us . And yes...We are so getting screwed 2:23 - I do agree to Shumi on this one. It does feel that the increment tends to be way too much to be reasonable. That being said, I don't have the insight of the financial statements and insight of amounts being spent individually on a single vehicle too. So I have a big chance to be wrong too. 5:45-5:57 - So does it mean that the rules and regulations (both locally and internationally) are changing way too frequently which is leading to an exponential bump up in the price tag? 7:00 - 9:50 - Elon already got the idea of chips in the head. Keep your kids away from Twitter Karthikeya. That being said, that is what those transformers-like contraption on the back. Real Driving Emissions 12:36 - I would disagree with the salary rising. Most of it is gone in taxes or combating the inflation which has a nasty habit of growing exponentially while our salaries do Class III logarithms

[@motorinc]

Rules: they're changing slowly internationally. But since India is perpetually in leapfrog mode, our regs will change faster for a while before it settles. During this phase, changes and price rises will come more rapidly Salary: Ahahahahah!

[@thesuperbikesaga765]

@@motorinc Basically salary saying: Are you komedi me???.

[@Dheeeeraj]

3 mins into the conversation! A classic example of good cop bad cop! Loving it! Okay I'll watch the rest of the video first 😅

[@motorinc]

Have a fun watch Dheeraj! Tell us wha you think at the end!

[@prashantsharma9779]

Prices are something that are beyond our control... As long as government keeps the taxes on fuel and vehicles high, the current rate of price increase will not slow down. I feel as long as you love a vehicle, the price does not not matter but damn they are getting expensive. Even 125 cc scooters cost more than a lakh now. Btw great going guys, love your takes on different topics and I'm learning a lot from you guys. Also, I would love it if you discuss how a vehicle makes it to production for the Indian market in the next podcast.

[@motorinc]

It's a great topic suggestion Prashant! Thank you!

[@nadkarni.create]

Great Podcast as usual... btw I feel this podcast environment feels better compared to the full studio lit environment... This one is soothing to the eyes... May be its just me who feels this way

[@motorinc]

Glad you enjoy it!

[@thesuperbikesaga765]

I believe the term you are looking for is "homely"

[@daksh_saroha]

Bikes NEW v USED would be a great podcast! Would love to see it!

[@motorinc]

Great idea!

[@SivakumarJayaramanplus]

They already touched upon it with the "tuono" example from Shumi...but I guess worth expanding more...but I see the point that with tech / mechanicals not changing much in the coming year (as confirmed by this genius duo), the topic is buried for a good latter half of 2023.... Now did I pass the test in being an "avid" listener?

[@ShashankRathod]

Wonderful podcast and like always, I wish it was longer. Needs 2 more in this series on used car market and the subscription model that has been introduced by several car OEMs. As far as buying your vehicle of choice right now is bang on. I bought a Rapid 1.0 TSI (Ambition variant) for about 12.5 and today, the Slavia starts around that for the base model and gets less features. What am I missing out on are bigger boot and a new looking car. But that doesn't add up to all the things I gained. Infact, for the 2.5 lakh price difference for a mid level variant Rapid vs entry level Slavia, I could clock in close to 50K KMs with the same amount of money while also enjoying features like reverse parking camera, electrically foldable ORVMs, fog lamps, better headlamps thanks to the projector set up among many many others.

[@motorinc]

Thanks Shashank! Suggestions for more detailed podcasts noted!

[@priyaranjanbidhar5912]

Excellent topic of discussion!! Got educated again. And the wardrobe and the studio decor maaaa gawwwdddddd. Happy new year guys!!! Lets get more..... Of Motorinc.

[@motorinc]

Happy new year!!

[@kenadams5227]

This episode was like a rollercoaster ride. Thoroughly entertaining on all fronts, especially with a lot of humour as well. The depth of knowledge you guys have is simply amazing. On that note, there's potential for 5 episode topics from just this podcast, including a debate on the best chips 😁😁, I'm in the gang of Banana chips too btw😂 (spicy ones)

[@godwheels9073]

The studio looks fab! The 390 behind included

[@motorinc]

Thank you!

[@passionandcommonsense]

This is a relevant topic. You guys explored it from some points of view that aren't typically available for most of us in the general consumer base. So, thank you for that. But, in a sense, it felt like you left a lot on the table. So, maybe a deeper dive next time, hopefully? Here are some perspectives from this side. I want to use two parallels Weather: In the West (especially in the US), there is the concept called "feels like" that is frequently used in weather forecasts. The weatherman will say that its -3 deg F; but with the wind chill, it actually feels like -10 deg F. Why do they do this? Why use an unscientific metric on top of a precise temperature measurement? The answer is that because what it "feels like" is what it ACTUALLY IS. In our context, cars (and other big capital expenses) feel expensive... because well they absolutely ARE. I mean, if they don't feel expensive, hardly anyone would be complaining. Just for a comparison, a vada pav costs Rs. 20 today. From the mid-90s, that is a rise in price of at least a 1000%. But, you will not find many who point to that one item and cry themselves a river. Why? Because despite the big price rise, everyone has 20 bucks to pay for this snack. This is not the case with cars. The point you made about salaries going up is valid. But, that is not the end of the discussion. Because the cost of existence in our metros has skyrocketed. Standards of living have improved while quality of life has arguably deteriorated leading to increased expenditure across the board. When most of us grew up, we had one male family member who pulled in enough money to support a family of 7 or 8 or even 10 at times. This is not possible now. With the advent of nuclear families, the division of labour that allowed for superb efficiencies (in joint families) has now been lost. The requirement of housing smaller families in separate housing units has robbed households of disposable income in huge ways. Eg: A family of say 3 grown-up siblings who lived with their spouses and children in one house, now requires 3 separate houses. That is 3 housing loans and 3 EMIs. By extension, they now need at least 3 separate vehicles where one had sufficed earlier. Each small family now pays through their nose for services that came for free in the previous decades. Child care, school transportation, family entertainment, etc; you name it and the landscape of needs and aspirations constantly eats away at disposable income. So, that increased salary that we are getting today feels totally inadequate in most households. Also, the market gets totally defined by the inequities. Let us say that everyone has Rs. 10 to spend on a kilogram of tomatoes. So, the price is Rs. 10 / kg. Then one guy shows up at the market. He is rich. He has no problem paying Rs. 100 for a kilogram of tomato as long as he gets it immediately. Now all of a sudden the market price has become Rs. 100 for a kilo of tomatoes. The market thus keeps getting redefined by that pocket of consumers who are financially fortunate, while the majority of the consumer base gets rogered. This is what is happening in every sphere as commodities get more scarce in relation to demand. Our increased salaries are just not keeping up. Technology: The usage patterns for Microsoft Word and Excel have remained unchanged for over 3 decades. Really, people don't need more than the basic functionalities in said pieces of software. And yet, over the years, the code bases for Word and Excel has grown huge to the point where they occupy huge space and the software itself has become super expensive. Why? Because the teams that work on these pieces of software have to demonstrate incremental value year on year. So, they tap into that small base of hi-fidelity users who demand esoteric features and then build all that overhead into the code. And we all pay an increased price for software with features that we absolutely do not need. In our context, cars today are inordinately expensive because they come with features that increase the cost of the car even for those people who do not need said features. For sure, cars are much netter now; but a lot of what we get now is overkill. Here is what what I typically need in a car - adequate space for people and luggage, clean interiors, adequate power with decent mileage, automatic transmission, power windows and doors, air conditioning, backlit switches, music system, acceptable safety, and that is it. On top of this, I would be willing to pay for features that actually add value. Like say phone connectivity, a reverse camera, two charging ports for phones, audio and phone controls on steering wheel, and a TPMS. Beyond this, every other feature is just padding the price. Eg: Auto wipers and headlights!! (seriously, who needs them? I mean, if you are operating an automobile on the road and you can't be bothered to turn on the headlights because it is getting dark or the wipers when it starts to drizzle, then really, you have far bigger problems in life than just needing transportation). Also the sunroof. This feature alone inflates costs in manufacturing because the manufacturer now has to increase the stiffness of the body because of that giant hole in the roof that weakens the shell (why one needs a sun roof in India is beyond me because the whole point of a car in India is to escape the heat). Some of these features can certainly be paid for incrementally; but many actually require provisions made to the car that increases the price of the car for those who don't even buy said features. In summation topics like this warrant a more holistic approach. Even if it feels like you may be digressing into philosophical areas, you guys would do well to talk about vehicles today within the broader context of life in general and not just as individual products. Just FYI, despite having owned multiple cars earlier, I stubbornly remained car-less in Mumbai. Multiple transportation options available here made me feel that we did not need a car. Then someone fell sick and I had to make them walk almost a km across a huge campus before I could flag down an autorickshaw. That did it. There was a car in our parking spot in less than 24 hrs. Small nuclear families in urban areas feel like they need a car now just for emergencies. The point I am making is that cars went from being aspirational in the 80s and 90s to being absolutely required now. Such socioeconomic changes require deeper discussions.

[@motorinc]

Wow! What an awesome comment to read through! Thank you! However, we disagree with many of the underlying assumptions. First, we do not believe that humans will ever live comfortably. When we find ways to make our lives comfortable, then we usually move goalposts and start a new chase. When we get too old to chase, the youth following us takes over and does the same thing. Without this, we would have no progress. This is how incomes rise, economies grow and our desire to have better things and a more cushy life works. Except that it'll never be cushy enough. When that day comes, our civilisation will decline. Nuclear families: We can't see anyone being forced into a nuclear family. We make that choice because we think it economically expedient to our goals -- wealth, independence and what have you. Like all things, they come with pros and cons both and we must make our peace with it. As to prices, they rise. They rise because from the farmer upwards, we all want growth and that means things will become more expensive. Sometimes thing-prices will rise first, sometimes our ability to pay will rise first. But the economy grows when _both_ grow over time. But moving to the city and the nuclear family also means that you're farther from the source of the tomatoes... which means now you must pay for the farmer's toil as well as the cost of storing it, packing it and moving it to your city's markets. In the village, close to the source, vegetables are a lot cheaper for sure. You do retain the freedom today to abandon the growth oriented city lifestyle and move right back to a simpler life with cheaper prices and other in/tangible benefits. And nothing is ever free. You pay for everything. We just fail to classify non-monetary payments as payments. When 'free' services like child care are consumed, think about how you paid for them? Sometimes these wonderful payments take decades to complete! Cars and features First of all, your esoteric is our essential. That's the key to choice. And some of the choices can be completely illogical -- like sunroofs in our climate. But no manufacturer would have them in the line up if the customers didn't ask for them first in large numbers. This is why the cheap two-seater car doesn't exist. And this is also why the 12-seater family wagon doesn't either. The second factor is mass production. It removes the ability to cater to audiences smaller than a certain size. For a trim level to have, say auto-wipers, it needs a certain audience who would be willing to pay for those. But nixing them from a trim _also_ needs a commercially large-enough audience to go without them and take a cheaper car. We believe that day will also come. But not until cars are commonplace as a family asset and the aura of status has been removed from a large chunk of them and being purely utility/value oriented is enough for a car to be commercially successful. We think this needs incomes to rise to a point where a car is a reasonably small part of the annual income as a cost... so that the safety of purchase and the status it represents both are non-factors. What we're saying is, you're not wrong. But some of the assumptions you're making are perhaps too narrow. Either in timespan terms or in zoom scale terms. We think that if people are free, they'll make choices that improve their shot at wealth and comfort. This will push them to find more expensive, more refined versions of whatever they think is essential/luxury for them in stages. We'll all find a balance point where we think we have enough. And that won't usually stop us from wanting more. This is why rising income is both necessary and in a functioning economy, nearly guaranteed. But the same demand cycle (from bottom to top) will also raise prices with time. You'll have the freedom to exit the cycle at multiple points. But most of us won't. And strangely enough, not all the decisions we will make along the way will be rational. Many will be emotional. Many more will be flat-out wrong. But as a group? As a group we are thrivers, not survivors

[@passionandcommonsense]

@@motorinc Thanks for the reply. But, I am not sure what to make of this response. I am resisting the urge to think that you are up on a soap box sermonising because I know you guys are better than that. What I am saying is that while its nice of you to take the time to unpack life as we know it today; you needn't have. Most of us know all this. This conversation was about whether cars were becoming expensive. And they are. Both factually and figuratively. If they didn't feel expensive, no one would say so so often. You podcast explored a point of view. I merely offered an alternative vantage point. I was simply saying that the rise in incomes is being washed away by other expenses that weren't there before. By no means was I taking a moral stand on whether nuclear families are good (which by the way they definitely aren't; I mean since we are on that topic anyways). My point is whether in cars or otherwise, many of us are forced into choices which we otherwise wouldn't make. Paying more for your car which doesn't have a sun roof because the manufacturing process is more expensive to accommodate someone else's sun roof requirement is a good example of this. A sociological parallel would be that not all nuclear (young) families are so by their choice. Believe it or not, many seniors today choose to not live with their children. You would think the choice is normally made by the youngsters with their young families, and this is so by and large. But, there is a significant portion of seniors who are now choosing to live untethered. Such geographical separations add to the costs of upkeep of the larger family unit. If a parent falls sick, then someone has to travel to take care of them and consequently accept additional costs in terms of physicality, finances, absences from work etc. Wasn't the case earlier. Just saying.

[@p.r.i.t.o.m.n.a.n.d.y]

This setup just looks fabulous, the earlier setups were great as well but this is lovely, specially with Ferocitas in it.

[@motorinc]

Thanks Pritom!

[@suhasbharadwaj3645]

The road tax is just too high for automobiles in general and add the fluctuating fuel prices that makes owning an automobile so hard for someone with average income. Even though it's a seller's market now, government working on proper taxing will help a lot.

[@motorinc]

Absolutely right! Road Tax aside - GST and cess on automobiles makes them super expensive!

[@raviswarankar]

Just in time when I am thinking of upgrading from my 2017 Ignis good to see dynamic duo in action after a brief disappearance from PD, Zig Wheels etc...great conversation lot of insights...Thanks Guys...BTW already a subscriber. 😊

[@motorinc]

Thank you! Welcome to the MotorInc family!

[@zaidpatel7312]

Just discovered this podcast and listened to all episodes in 1 day. Just awesome.

[@motorinc]

Thanks awesome to know! If there are any topics you would like us to cover, please do let us know!

[@amitdas98]

While is seems perfectly fine to take just yearly increments in one's salary into consideration while deciding the increase of purchasing power of the indian consumer over the last decade, there's one other big factor. That is the starting salary. If the median starting salary of the consumer when he enters the workforce has not kept in pace with the inflation (which it hasn't in the IT Industry) then the annual increments alone cannot account for increased purchasing power.

[@motorinc]

In some ways, the starting salary is also a 'seller's market' no? There's usually more people than jobs, so a company can generally underpay a little bit at the start...

[@arimahapatra]

An entire podcast about used vs new is definitely needed. The other day I suggested a friend to consider a used 2018/2019 Hyundai Verna petrol over a Venue petrol if the retail experience doesn't matter much to him as I feel the Verna is a better experience over the Venue and also not many new features entered the market since then. Then motorcycles are an entirely different ballgame. Have been planning to buy a used Duke 390. Maybe a 2nd gen as I prefer the styling more. I don't think much has changed except for maybe the emission norms, a TFT screen, etc. which are things I can live without. And the price is significantly lower. A 2018/19 sample would set me back by 1.50l or so if olx prices are any indication which is less than half the price of a new one. Of course, the condition and history are key elements but like you guys mentioned, if driven as intended, these machines are designed to last a seriously long time.

[@motorinc]

New vs used is a superb idea!

[@ketanbhatkar7164]

Loving all the episodes however the pause after, "This would be the last podcast... " I was like, NOOOO!!! Please do not ever STOP, as podcasts topics are so full of knowledge

[@motorinc]

Thanks Ketan! Do you have any topic suggestions?

[@RishalRaj]

Loved the video as always. But more than the topic of discussion, I want to know how Shumi feels about his precious Arai on a ledge that high I wouldn't be surprised if that has been added via VFX in Post-production 😄

[@motorinc]

No no! He inspected the shelf then 'allowed' it to be mounted. And then he placed the helmets there himself... full OCD he is...

[@shivalkathe]

I am an owner of a 10 year old Honda city. It is my first car. I brought it early in my career when I was able to cover the emi. Ppl advised me not to buy it as it was a little above my means at that point of time. But I took test rides of every car and bought it. Because I only wanted that car and it made sense to me. I learnt my driving on that brand new car. My point is despite several improvements in features and price almost got doubled. I took a test drive of new car but hardly find any change with respect to driving, space inside car and the quality of our shell is thinner than earlier. So it’s not always that features are increasing but sometimes they are increasing on the cost some cost cutting on imp area which ppl don’t notice. Only relevant feature I found was touch screen because I can see maps on it. So I got it installed after market by spending 10k and now it has got everything I wanted. I Can drive it for another 5 years. This is all because I bought the car I wanted and I still love it. So what you said about buying the car/bike you want is irrespective of price etc make a lot of sense and we actually end up driving the vehicle. Rather than thinking every five years for reasons to sell it. I bought a meteor 350 and doing the second.

[@Globaldob]

Would love a conversation on manual vs automatic 😊

[@sachinnagaraja]

I like the comparison between price hike and salary hike, but I have one question, salary hikes happens once a year (which is not happening properly for past 2 years due to COVID / recession) but vehicle prices are increasing every quarter.

[@motorinc]

That's what Kartikeya was saying. Earlier vehicle prices used to rise together, almost predictably. Now it seems to be riding constantly mostly because someone or the other is always raising the prices at any point. However, if you look close, each vehicle's price rarely rises more than once, maybe twice a year

[@SoumilAroraDotCom]

Loved it as usual! Really got scared for a second when you said ‘this is the last podcast...’ haha! I wonder how much you prepped for Shumi’s fireball direct questions! Loved hearing it!

[@motorinc]

Thanks Soumil! Suggest topics for future episodes if you can!

[@swagster7503]

awesome podcast, just love to hear you guys discuss the automobile world

[@PranavShroti]

Excellent discussion, it was funny, informative, and somewhat opinionated… 👍

[@motorinc]

❤ cheers!

[@Ashes-9]

In 2010 i saw the vw polo for the first time and fell in love. So in 2011 got a brand new red polo and kept it like a baby. I used to tell my friends how amazing the car was and driving it was such a pleasure. I mean i had come from my dad’s santro and the german felt like a sportscar. I had decided that i would buy the beetle a5 when i eventually upgrade. Till 2015 i used to love cars, buy a car every 3 years. Then i got the figo 2nd gen. in 2017 realised along the way i had gained a lot of weight i.e. 140kgs to be precise. So my focus shifted to weight-loss. So ditched the car and started walking and cycling to places. In 2018 when i was around 65kgs lighter, i realised the traffic had become worse in a years time. So i got a burgman (a brand new release) and it was so much fun. In 2020 the lockdown began and i just watched my vehicles catching dust. The british motorcycling heritage always fascinated me and so in 2021 got the jawa classic and then my love for motorcycles rekindled. Once i was used to handling motorcycles. In 2022 i got married and my wife literally dragged me and we bought a gt650 cos i was always talking to her about it since we met in 2018. So sometime back i met a friend after 10 years and he asked me what about your love for cars ? Did you upgrade? Will you get the beetle ? Well i said , “times have changed buddy, polo is discontinued, ford has exited, they don’t make the beetle nowadays and I don’t drive cars anymore. “

[@motorinc]

What a great story Ashes! Full respect for you commitment and clarity!

[@Ashes-9]

🙏🏼

[@ramboog2654]

@@Ashes-9Tell me, how did you lost so much weight?

[@yash_jivrajani]

just at the start of this episode and @Kartikeya bro.. can u also list your apparels too. bro your tshirt game is next level

[@motorinc]

🤣♥️

[@ramboog2654]

@@motorincThe oversized trend/drop down shoulder thing is really great trend. But, the catch is one should dress according to their body type. Singhee is chubby and a little on a heavier side + he seems to be short(Like

[@SivakumarJayaramanplus]

Good hook at the end of the podcast on what is next coming!!! Me salivating...I know Shumi does not enjoy offloading much, but I remember Karthik's stunt at C S Santhosh's academy, so looking forward eager for the "Optimist" to crush (Shumi, I love you, but Mr Singhee got this one!!) the "Realist", this should be a role reversal ....Go Karthik!!

[@SivakumarJayaramanplus]

This is an "optimistic" comment from a "realist"

[@motorinc]

Haha a good balance?

[@VarunGoud07]

A great topic would've been "how much should I pay for an used motorcycle/car?" This is a topic I personally would like to know a lot about, talk a lot about, like how much should I be pricing it if I was the seller?, What is the threshold to pay for an used bike? Anyone willing to share knowledge is greatly appreciated!

[@motorinc]

Topic suggestion noted! Thank you Varun!

[@ruturajdholepatil7108]

Aw man 18:07 the way he looks at us and just expresses a “i’m sorry”🤣i see it all the time

[@docshah8730]

We are being looted and there is no explanation that can help with that . The cars, features and the variants we get here in India at those prices is just not justified. We even get older models sold to us at higher prices.

[@motorinc]

The prices hurt. We get that.

[@authorizedplayer]

Schumi if this is you home sweet home, touchwood! Stay blessed with amazing bikes and awesome memories!!!

[@motorinc]

Thank you so much! Happy new year to you too!

[@ramboog2654]

@@motorincwow….what I, up untill now, thought that…it is their company’s(motorinc) workspace/studio.?!

[@aniruddhapisharody7035]

The thought of real world tests are something that we need from all aspects. So many valid points. But the fact is price rises are a way of life everything goes up statically

[@motorinc]

But sometimes, a bit more than necessary? No?

[@vishnupraveen3644]

The subscription way is a dangerous to go down that road, It gives too much control to the manufacturer post us owning a vehicle . What is they increase the price of the subscription later? Also, If they have the power to enable a feature , Why cant disable the vehicle if payment is not done for a subscription or something else? Just speculating, not sure if this the right way to think about it.

[@motorinc]

The resistance to a new system is completely natural... and it forces you to first consider all the possible problems we could have with the new system. On the flip side, given than all the software is slowly inching towards subscriptions (and breaking your resistance to it). In the big picture, if the infrequently used features are on subscription basis, then you shouldn't have to pay for it upfront (or ever). And this might work out better for you -- despite all your caveats, which are valid concerns. However, still bigger picture? If autonomous driving happens (and it will), then the need to own your car will become something only enthusiasts will think of... everyone else will use them as subscriptions (sort of how we use Ola and Uber today) anyway

[@indiacha]

I purchased both my car & Bike from used market & I am more then happy. used car market will see a new Boom in 2023

[@motorinc]

Terrific! Which car and bike? How did you decide on them? Please share so others can pick up a tip or two as well?

[@VemuriSudhi]

I can picture subscription based bhp😂😂 Thoroughly enjoyed this!! What a way to end the year🎉

[@h_m_bhat]

It is already there in Tesla cars 🤦🏻‍♂️ U need to pay extra to unlock the Ludicrous mode. And many others. Such a shady business practices

[@motorinc]

Sudhi! ❤️

[@mJustLucky]

Happy to check this video out at 1 AM.... Love u both ♥️

[@motorinc]

Thank you Partha!

[@amanasija28]

This Podcast felt like a friendly conversation. Good one, Shumi!

[@motorinc]

Thanks for listening!

[@ajayb100]

Sad but true, we are loosing VW’s 2L engines including Octavia next year February, it’s time to buy them before they becomes obsolete

[@motorinc]

Best of luck!

[@MyVasudev]

I'm curious, (how) does RDE affect car prices? There might be a very obvious answer to this, or you guys even might have answered it in the video itself but I think I'm not able to understand it. Can someone please explain?

[@motorinc]

Hello! It is because there needs to be either new hardware added to improve efficiency and reduce emissions, or optimise existing hardware. In its simplest form there are more sensors and processors to tightly measure emissions, process them and then adjust accordingly. The cost of this hardware has been a big factor of price hikes in recent times. Hope that helps!

[@MyVasudev]

Oh yes it definitely did, thank you so much. You guys are the best! :)

[@ChrisBOMtoATL]

This looks like Shumi's private studio. With the Duke 390 and the helmets well arranged, someone with OCD would appreciate the well kept room.

[@motorinc]

We think he’d have it tidier still!

[@arv1ndgr]

My take is we need to question this policy of Roadtax being levied over Exshowroom+GST. Also what's the deal about Govt restricting a 1.2l petrol engine over 4m Hatch? We had to miss superb cars, Latest Polo, Duster and WR-V all because of such archaic road tax slabs. Rant aside, I would definitely suggest to discuss on topics like, how automobiles taxation and maintenance happens in other countries. How long do global owners hold on to a car?

[@motorinc]

Feedback noted and idea is on the idea board! Thanks Arvind!

[@abhinavankur5212]

Great podcast again. Love you guys. I have 1 question What is the Desmo thing that you mentioned?

[@thesuperbikesaga765]

Ducati owners biggest reason for a shock. The Desmo service.

[@motorinc]

It's what Ducati calls their major service (usually around 30,000km) where they do many things including valve clearance checks. This renews the bike but the service cost can hit almost a lakh of rupees. This a major reason why new to Ducati prospective buyers get a bit of a shock

[@thesuperbikesaga765]

@@motorinc I thought it was 50!!! Non Ducati owner here, but still shocked!!!!!

[@shu_mar]

@@thesuperbikesaga765 Varies from bike to bike slightly. But always very expensive

[@thesuperbikesaga765]

@@shu_mar Atleast there is one constant..!!

[@thesuperbikesaga765]

So the famed garage station finally makes it's appearance. !! The only thing I had was heartbreak when I heard the Octavia and the Superb were going to be discontinued. Those were my prospective upgrade cars eventhough I just bought my first car in 2021 Dec. That being said, prices will go up, so better to start looking for used vehicles. Might find a gem there. #WithACupOfTea

[@motorinc]

Didn’t know this stage had been discussed! 😆 Who let the cat out?

[@thesuperbikesaga765]

@@motorinc For some reason, I am not able to see my comments. This would probably be my third or fourth time attempting it.

[@abirpramanik]

Make a video on Pulsar F250 vs D250 i m really confusing after f250 get dual channel abs please........

[@motorinc]

We can also solve queries right here! To us the F250 *is* the better bike to live with for sure. But if you have questions... shoot!

[@abirpramanik]

@@motorinc thanks I need smooth Engine and reliable.. With great road presence 😋 and one thing i forget I m 6.1ft tall so i rode my friend apache 200 4v 2021 edition it feel cramp some time later so .... Which is better comfortable? Please help

[@parthibanarivalagan3119]

32:14 Makes sense 😂

[@motorinc]

🤣

[@er404]

Buying 2nd hand premium motorcycles makes sense. The owner takes good care of the machine.

[@motorinc]

Generally yes! Still need to be careful because there will be the odd crashed-repaired bike in there.

[@goldroger9990]

I went to the ktm showroom for 390 adventure. They told in 2 months they will increase 15k rupees. I just want to buy and enjoy ic engines before they get replaced by electric motors.

[@motorinc]

Best of luck!

[@Rockstones123]

Great episode, loved it. ❤️

[@motorinc]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@spyderarcade4946]

Damn salaries aren’t going up with the rate of inflation…. Sad

[@motorinc]

♥️

[@manas5026]

What is the future of Tata Safari Diesel variant? I want to give a big SUV car to my parents. I want my dad to experience the feel of a big SUV car. But I have saving money for quite a long time. Red Dark was the variant the I was about to book but then the diesel news came and all my plans were shattered. I am not going for XUV700 since waiting is for 2 years.

[@leakedzebra]

Not an episode goes by without K mentioning his beloved Octavia

[@motorinc]

Haha!

[@odin6232]

Brilliant podcast/discussion as always! 😁

[@motorinc]

And hello again! Thank you for the encouragement! 🙏🏾

[@puneethmys152]

Hoping for a podcast on autonomous systems in cars, how they would work in india and what's the manufacturers doing now. (Also self balancing bikes if possible)

[@motorinc]

Can do Puneeth!

[@mihirvasani9609]

So so relatable ❤️❤️

[@motorinc]

Thanks Mihir!

[@mohammadtaha9829]

Maybe writing the first letter of every word on the title in caps would be more attractive for the viewers, just saying. Anyways, as always, amazing content and loving the setup!

[@motorinc]

Okay! Let's try that next time

[@rushabhraut4208]

Loving these podcasts.......

[@motorinc]

Thank you so much Rushabh!

[@debarshimajumder3765]

Another year concludes and with this we are welcomed in the BBC of petrolheads already 💕💕!!

[@motorinc]

Happy New Year bud!

[@samsonsaji5562]

Thank you for this channel❤

[@motorinc]

Thank you for being here.

[@rohitr1504]

Nice shoes Shumi! I like them

[@motorinc]

❤️

[@RidesWritesAndPints]

If I were to listen to your podcast episodes just once... where is it better(financially for you) to stream? KZbin or Spotify?

[@motorinc]

Pick any! For having conversations- like these - YT is better. And thank you for thinking for us! ❤️

[@sinuslebastian6366]

I highly disagree with Shumi about the subscription part because that is a slippery slope and will end up being a worse option for the consumer all around. Who would govern the prices? Will there be a price cap? Who would enforce this? Going the subscription route will open a can of worms that will ultimately lead to us not owning anything we buy, as seen time and time again in the software/tech side of things.

[@motorinc]

Um. We don't think he was being serious. At all.

[@sinuslebastian6366]

@@motorinc it is very difficult to tell with him sometimes lol

[@vikasshelke5544]

Mobile phones and house hold electronics has already reached pennacle of technological innovation . There is just no customer attractive features that masses will put money in . Like wise Bikes scooters also have very little for any features to attract customers . Cars jeeps SUVs still have attractive tech to come in . Countless features that customer won't be remembering for day to day drive also becomes useless . With ever growing road usage and lessening of parking property micro cars should be future .

[@motorinc]

Thanks for sharing!

[@ontheroad8149]

Finally guys you took my advise! Great setup and great topic to listen to your perspective - Feroci in the corner distracting me

[@motorinc]

We told you we will listen to your feedback! ❤️

[@shu_mar]

That's Ferocitas!

[@ontheroad8149]

@@shu_mar ah yes! Fror and Ferocio is the only ones I remember correctly

[@d_wolf]

I am in love with this series...Please don't start the show with "This is the last episode "...I just had a minor panic attack...😅 On the other side, would you like speaking on the new trend where the manufacturers are quietly removing features from the cars without decreasing the price. For example- Xuv 700 won't get sequential indicators on the lower trims now and Mahindra offers a 6000 discount for that but if you want to get them for an existing car , they cost rs 14000. Also for someone, who booked the based on this feature and waited for nearly an year will now have to either book an upper variant and wait another year or stay with whatever is offered. Same had been the case with Lumbar support being removed from the Thar. Would like to know your opinion on trends like these...

[@motorinc]

Yeah. This is a tough one. The idea that a car has ~50-60 variants with tiny differences can be used to clutter the decision making process and small things then can change without sufficient notice/attention being paid to them. And then the customer gets affected... Let's discuss this in the future episode for sure

[@LonelyRacoon]

Am I the only one who liked the set from previous episodes?

[@motorinc]

We can't win the backdrop battle, eh? 😅

[@gunsNwings]

Shumis ktm 390 standing silently in the indoors. ❤️😊

[@motorinc]

Lovely isn't it? ❤

[@gunsNwings]

@@motorinc yes sir!!

[@UnShEeP924]

Not a fan of ADVs.,..but can't wait for next episode

[@motorinc]

Us either!

[@vighneshjoshi5873]

Wait for some reason I assumed I was subscribed how ever just realised I wasn't subscribed what the hell 😂 Edit :Now I actually am subscribed

[@motorinc]

Haha! We're just glad you got this sorted

[@Top5-raghu]

Buyers will always buy!

[@motorinc]

Yup!

[@abhijeet10101]

Watching it in October 2024 and the brands are offering crazy discount to get rid of their inventories 😅😅😅 well well well how the turntables 😂😂😂😂

[@motorinc]

Make the most of it while it lasts @abhijeet10101! Assuming you need it, of course...

[@Sardar_Khan69]

This is the Pre first episode of next Year. 🤘🤣 Or test episode before next year.

[@motorinc]

um... what do you mean? 🤣

[@fangdog29]

Cartelization is a problem in India. And taxation. Acknowledgement of this is necessary, else we'll keep getting fleeced.

[@SD_003]

26:18- But then you look at likes of CB500X which did see a significant price cut and you wonder 🤔

[@motorinc]

Similarly, even the G310 got a price cut. But those are exceptions. Waiting for those kind of deals to make your purchase decision might leave you waiting veerrrrry long!

[@SD_003]

@@motorinc yup but imagine you get one and it gets a price cut few months later. Would burn your a** 😆 P.S: Inazuma as well had similar price cut.

[@pavannagare9383]

7:28 Elon musk be like note that down

[@motorinc]

Arrey arrey

[@travellerking8981]

Is RE launching Himalayan 450/650 in 2023 ?

[@motorinc]

Drum roll! The 450 is coming in 2023 💪!

[@vampire198014]

actually it has not become expensive it has become affordable... u can now buy bigger(u can have ur def for it), better and more featured car for less money than what u could have bought the same spec say 10 years back... with u not comparing the same brand of car... u need to look across brands and categories.. one should stick to the budget and what he or she wants from a car top 3 things and buy.. 99% of the times u will not be disappointed... also even if u go out of world and buy a car still u will have live with its issues because no car is 100%

[@motorinc]

💯

[@MAKOS-ky5my]

i got here as soon as i can

[@motorinc]

Haha! We love it!

[@El_Picaroo]

Car prices are just going crazy and for the enthusiasts it is getting worse day dy day with all these norms coming in. I have a 2020 hyundai verna diesel sx(o) bs4 which produces 128 bhp Which is just Love to drive , which i bought for 14.7 lakh on road after a whopping one lakh fifteen thousand discount ( because bs6 model was just around the corner ). now the current gen verna diesel produces way less power, looks the same and costs almost 18 lakhs on road. matter of fact, there are no sedans right now in the segment which produces that kind of power without a turbo lagging engine and in that price bracket. i just know im going to hold on to it for a very long time until something as exciting, fun to drive sedan comes my way, with the octavia news coming in, im actually scared that the wait is not going to be fun.

[@motorinc]

Oh man! There’s just so much to discuss! Agree with you on so many fronts!

[@arjunthomas]

My salary is not rising proportional to these price hikes😅😅

[@motorinc]

Haha! Oh no!

[@omi9791]

Salary don't hike at the rate at which cost price rises

[@travellerking8981]

Advance Happy NEW YEAR 🎉

[@motorinc]

Happy new year in advance to you too Mr King!

[@pradhyudh]

Desi camissa and dereck hyphen scott

[@motorinc]

❤

[@deaddy_0_0]

Autonomous vehicles will never work in India! You can program a system which is rule based or predictable events. Indian traffic is anything but predictable, not going to happen in our lifetime.

[@motorinc]

Never say never! 😊