According to recent reports, car owners came up with more issues regarding their vehicles in this year, wherein a major volume in the potpourri accounted for small diesel vehicle owners. The cumulative car dependability marked an index of 225 troubles per 100 vehicles during January-April 2012. As per the auto researcher, J.D. Power Asia Pacific’s 2012 India vehicle dependability study, the issues recorded in the corresponding tenure last year stood at 195.
The study was based on the feedbacks of 7,866 different owners who procured a new car between July 2008 and September 2009. The survey covered included 62 car models by 16 manufacturers and was carried in January-April 2012 in 25 different cities of the country. On the whole, steadiness was determined by the severity and magnitude of issues, faced in every 100 vehicles, wherein lower scores implied better quality.
In the study conducted by the researchers, it was found that the number of small diesel cars, powered by 1.3 to 1.4 litre engines, showed an increase of 11 percent against the figures recorded in the corresponding period last year. Unfortunately, this surge in the number of vehicles brought alongwith it a similar increase in the number of engine related problems. A large number of issues were accounted because of high fuel consumption and a shortage of engine power.
Mohit Arora, Executive Director, J.D. Power Asia Pacific, Singapore said that apart from the main problems, the small diesel car owners also came up with issues regarding the disparity in expected fuel economy. According to buyers, the mileage claimed by car makers was not delivered by the vehicle after a period of time.
Arora said that diesel car owners want a quicker acceleration similar to that of petrol and, thus, came up with issues. He further added, “The customers have not been able to come to terms with the difference in the power delivery cycle experienced in the engines.”
The study was conducted with the experiences reported by owners of 30 to 42 month old vehicles which resulted in 169 different issues further categorized in nine different sections. These categories include vehicle exteriors, driving experience, features, controls and displays, audio & entertainment, seats, heating, ventilation & air conditioning, vehicle interiors and engines as well as transmission. A Senior Editor of a leading magazine quoted, “Maybe the owners haven’t maintained their cars well.”
Researchers have also found that the car owners, who hire drivers came up with relatively more issues than those driving themselves. The common complaints reported by owners were related to heat, ventilation as well as air-conditioning, seats, audio & entertainment and the interiors of the car.
