The Endless Wait: How Long Waiting Period Are Disrupting The Car Buying Experience

mahindra Thar RWD-1

Hers is how the long waiting period for new cars in India is an obstacle for buyers in their journey to owning their dream car

The new car buying experience in India has been severely impacted by the long waiting period for popular vehicles. With a high demand for cars and limited production, buyers are left with long wait times and no clarity from dealers. The Tata Nexon, for example, has a waiting period of 8 to 20 weeks, while the Tata Punch has a waiting period of 3 to 26 weeks. The Tata Tiago also has a waiting period of 3 to 20 weeks.

The XUV 700 has a waiting period of up to 70 weeks, while the Scorpio N has a waiting period of up to 70 weeks. The Thar RWD has a waiting period of 45 weeks, and the Innova Hycross has a waiting period of 40 weeks. The base variants of the Creta have a waiting period of 40 weeks.

The long waiting periods are due to a number of factors, including the limited production capacity of manufacturers. For instance, Maruti has over 4 lakh pending orders, but only manufactures 1.5 lakh cars every month. Meanwhile, Mahindra only manufactures 40,000 cars every month, which is contributing to the increase in waiting periods for new bookings. The shortage of semiconductors is also affecting production, leading to longer wait times for buyers.

mahindra Scorpion-2

Interestingly, the value-for-money (VFM) variants are carrying longer waiting periods than the top of the line variants. This is because these variants are more popular among buyers, leading to higher demand and longer wait times. The most awaited variants right now include the Scorpio N Z4 MT, XUV700 AX3 & AX5 MT Diesel, Toyota Hyryder S Hybrid, Thar RWD, Creta E & S MT, and the Tiago EV.

The long waiting periods are causing buyers to shift to less preferable choices, which is a good opportunity for less selling brands to increase their sales numbers. German cars, for example, are easily available and do not have long waiting periods, making them a popular alternative for buyers. Luxury cars, on the other hand, have waiting periods of up to 1 year for most brands including Mercedes and BMW.

Skoda Kushaq front angle white

In conclusion, the long waiting periods for popular vehicles in India are ruining the new car buying experience for buyers. With no clarity from dealers and limited production capacity, buyers are left with long wait times and are forced to consider alternative options.

The VFM variants are carrying longer waiting periods than the top of the line variants, and the shortage of semiconductors is also affecting production.

2022 Hyundai Venue facelift vs Hyundai Creta front angle

The long waiting periods are a major concern for the automotive industry in India and need to be addressed in order to improve the new car buying experience for buyers.